The Drawing Board
by Annie Sparklecakes
Summary: Because Konoha has too many citizens and they each have too many stories to tell. Drabble collection, pairings vary. 59: Neji and Sakura, finding little glimmers of hope in the worst kind of hell.
1. Shikamaru & Sakura, Debate

So, the thing is, I've been wanting to do this for a while… I just didn't think I could. You know, write something I didn't make up, if that makes sense. Probably not. Anyways, I ended up trying it out on my LJ, and loving it so much I posted it up here.

Now, unless I'm given requests, I'm probably not going to write for this. My own oneshots are longer, more thought-out, and not part of this collection, which is mostly for me to experiment.

So gimme requests! The parings I prefer are one my bio, but I'll probably write anything that isn't slash, incest, or something really weird.

And I want prompts, please. A word, a short summary, a line you want said, whatever. But be wary: my stories, as you know, are usually wacky humor ones. So don't expect something angsty or whatever.

Now go read!

**Blanket disclaimer: **You know how it goes.

-o-

**Pairing: **ShikaSaku  
**Word count: **735  
**Prompt: **Prize - The battle of wits has begun...  
Thank _Renalin _for this one.  
-o-

Sakura really enjoyed talking to Shikamaru. He was the smartest person she knew, and unlike the other resident geniuses (i.e.: Sasuke and Neji), he offered full sentences. Not many, and fairly short ones until he really got into the conversation, but at least they always had a subject and a verb that weren't "Sakura" and "get lost."

Ino had laughed when she stumbled on the two of us caught up in one of their arguments, this time on the practicality of kunai versus shuriken.

"You guys are such nerds," she teased, grinning. "You're practically a match made in heaven."

Then Sakura had thrown a kunai at the blonde, who disappeared, still laughing, and Shikamaru had said, begrudgingly, that he supposed kunai were more effective, at least when dealing with blond banshees.

He was kind of funny, Sakura decided then.

It was a bit ridiculous what they fought over sometimes. What was better, strawberry ice cream or chocolate? Sakura argued that anything so classic as strawberry could never let you down, whereas Shikamaru insisted that everyone liked chocolate _something_, so the flavor was undeniably the best.

Then he had taken her to the ice cream parlour across the street from Ichiraku, and forced her to try it.

He had won that time.

More than once they had been spotted, arguing over cloud shapes (Shikamaru insisted it was a rabbit; Sakura was firm in her opinion that it was a moose), high heels versus short ("Dammit woman, you can't even walk in heels." "No, but I can kick pretty hard. They're fashionable _and _deadly!"), and who was louder: Ino or Naruto (the one time neither won; it was just too close).

And they always got strange looks. Either because the arguments were so pointless, their points were so strange, or the strange gleam Shikamaru got in his eyes, and the smile on Sakura's face.

"Are you guys dating?" Naruto finally demanded one day when they sat on a hill, comparing apples and oranges.

Sakura turned bright red and sputtered, "Wha—no—I—Naruto!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome idiot," he muttered.

"Well, you guys spend a lot of time together!" he said defensively.

"Yeah, dimwit. It's called being friends," Sakura snapped sarcastically, her face still flushed.

When Naruto finally left, not entirely convinced, but sporting a black eye, Shikamaru lay back on the grass, eyeing the girl beside him lazily. She was still burning red, embarrassed, and she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"What's so bad about going out with me?" he asked her, amused by the reaction he got.

"Nothing!" se squeaked. "I mean, I…" She took a deep breath. "It's just, you know." She offered lamely.

He sat up, regarding her carelessly. "Think about it: we're both smart."

"I know a lot of smart guys," she replied hotly, crossing her arms over his chest. "You don't see me going out with them, do you?"

"I make you laugh," he went on, ignoring her.

"Everything makes me laugh! My best friend getting punched in the face makes me laugh!"

"You can talk to me."

"I can talk to a rock, Shikamaru. His name is Sasuke."

He looked at her flatly. "I talk back. And I listen to you, and actually understand what you're saying. Even when you don't."

She shook her head. "Alright, my turn."

"Be my guest."

"You like Ino. Or Temari. Some blonde."

"_Liked_. Next."

"I like Sasuke."

"And that's why you haven't been speaking to him just because he ruined your favorite shirt during training?" he asked skeptically. "A shirt _I _gave you, by the way." When they were arguing over whether red or green looking better on her. He won.

She bit her lip, looking around, as if for inspiration. "It's just _weird_!" she finally burst out. "You're Shikamaru and I'm Sakura and we just—we just don't _go_. And we fight too much and—"

"I like you," he deadpanned, finally shutting her up. She turned wide emerald eyes on him, and he smirked. "Why don't you admit the real reason you're fighting me? I like you, Sakura."

Her eyes narrowed. How did he—

Oh, right. Stupid genius.

She pouted. "How is that you always seem to win these arguments?"

He grinned at her. "Now do I have to convince you to let me kiss you, too?"

Sakura turned beet red, and his grin widened.

_Didn't look like it would be hard._


	2. Sasuke & Sakura, Situations

For _runwithskizzers.  
_**Pairing; **SasuSaku  
**Word count: **629  
**Prompt: **Shikamaru, Sasuke, Neji, and awkward situations  
**Warnings: **OOC, but for a reason. May be awkward or choppy.

Sasuke, Neji, and Shikamaru were probably the smartest shinobi of their generation.

There had been a time when these three young men had been rivals, particularly Neji and Sasuke; however, five years later, they had realized that they could work a lot better by putting their heads together, helping each other… though, of course, they had to keep it a secret.

Usually Neji went to Shikamaru for advice on battle plans, Sasuke went to Neji for training regimes, and Shikamaru went to Sasuke for help on his techniques.

And it worked for the three and their teams. Tsunade was very impressed.

They became quite a bit closer once they all got into ANBU at around the same time, and, suddenly, they were exchanging information and advice on a variety of topics.

"What's the best way to shut a girl like Ino up?" Shikamaru asked of his almost-friends, chugging down the last few sips of sake in his bottle before opening another.

"Kiss her," Neji snorted. Sasuke agreed with a grunt.

Perhaps the alcohol did it. They were celebrating a difficult mission that had gone excellently that the three had been on. A plus was that nearly all their friends were out of the village on missions of their own.

"Is that what you do with Tenten?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

Neji nodded. "Also when she doesn't talk," he added with a short snicker. Who knew Hyuuga was such a funny drunk?

Sasuke was silent for a moment, looking at his bottle. When he looked up, he saw Neji and Shikamaru watching him.

"What's wrong with you?" Neji asked, hiccupping slightly. He was very talkative when intoxicated.

Sasuke couldn't even remember to be embarrassed. Perhaps he should've stopped at three bottles. "I don't know how to kiss," he said bluntly.

"Then what do you do with Sakura?" Shikamaru asked, taking another sip of his sake.

Sasuke's brow furrowed in concentration, then smoothed over. "We train," he answered.

Neji shook his head. "Girls don't like that," he said wisely. "You need to kiss her."

"_But I don't know how!_" Sasuke repeated, practically pouting.

Neji scooted over to him. "I'll teach you," he proclaimed. Shikamaru, meanwhile, continued to drink, even though he was getting so dizzy he could barely sit up straight.

Sasuke made a face when Neji took his face in his hands and leaned towards him. "You need to hold her face gently. Then you need to move close enough for her to kiss you, but far enough so she doesn't have to."

Shikamaru crawled towards them. "And use breath mints," he added.

Sasuke nodded, taking it all in through glazed-over eyes.

Neji leaned in closer, and Sasuke, imagining Sakura's face, did the same, as did Shikamaru, eyes bright with interest (or nearly four bottles of alcohol – who knew?).

Neji's eyes fluttered shut, and Sasuke could see Sakura in front of him, her cheeks soft and flushed, her hair silky, her lips parting to whisper breathily "Sasuke…"

"Sakura…"

"Neji? Shikamaru?"

Sakura blinked, confused. Why was Sakura talking to Neji and Shikamaru _now_? Would she rather be kissing one of them?

Her eyes flew open, and her gaze was piercing, pale lavender. Sasuke pulled back abruptly.

_That wasn't Sakura!_

He whipped around to see Sakura standing in the doorway, her lips parted in surprise. Her emerald eyes flicked over Sasuke, looking panicked and like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar; to Neji, his hands still cradling Sasuke's face; to Shikamaru, who, with one last sip, lot all consciousness and flopped over…

…Right onto Sasuke's lap.

Her eyes glimmered, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach and laughing as if she'd never stop.

Sasuke groaned, Neji doing the same beside him.

_This_ was why he didn't want friends.


	3. Shikamaru & Sakura & Naruto, Persuasion

**Pairing:** Naru/Saku/Shika-ish  
**Word count: **411  
**Prompt:** Stubborn  
Thank the genius that is _Infinite Inficio_ for this one.

They stood eyeing each other, arms folded across their chests, lips set in grim lines.

Shikamaru was across from Sakura, his dark eyes boring into her bright ones. He had to admit, even when his pride (or… something, he couldn't quite think straight at the moment) was on the line, that she had very pretty eyes, even when, like now, they were narrowed with frustration.

Beside him, Naruto's lips quivered. He wouldn't last much longer, Shikamaru knew. Sakura was his weakness, always. It was almost scary how the girl had him wrapped around her finger.

He shuddered inwardly. He refused to be like Naruto, who would succumb to her every desire by just one smile, who rushed to please her when she shed a single tear.

He would not do what she said just because those smooth, pink lips were jutting out in a pout, or because she suddenly blinked those big eyes imploringly, the long, thick lashes brushing her soft skin.

"Shikamaruuu," she whined, her voice soft and musical. She turned to Naruto, fluttering her lashes for good measure. "_Naruto_…" His name rolled off her tongue as if it belonged to her and her alone to say in that breathy, sensual voice, and Shikamaru knew that they were done.

The blond's hand flew to his pocket to find his wallet, and he thrust it at her. Shikamaru did the same, though a bit slower, too intent on the way Sakura's face broke out into a sly smile, and she tossed her hair back in a smug move characteristic of Ino.

"Thanks, you guys rock, love you both, bye!" she said quickly, already skipping down the street to buy a new, freakishly expensive, set of gloves.

Naruto watched her go with a sigh, and glanced sideways at Shikamaru. "She got you too?"

Shikamaru could only nod, swallowing hard. _Hell yes_.

"You see why I can't say no to her now?" he asked, his gaze still fixed on the corner she had turned.

"How did she—how does she _do _that?" he demanded, his voice a little more high-pitched than usual.

"You're the genius, you figure it out," Naruto told him, before running off after the girl, stumbling slightly in his still-dazed state.

Shikamaru shook his head. _No freakin' way._

He turned around, ready to head back to his favorite cloud-watching spot. He didn't even care if he didn't get his wallet back.

He was staying far, far away from that girl.


	4. Naruto & Sakura, Shopping

**I****'m getting a few requests, but guys, I won't write them unless I'm given prompts. Anything short will do, you can give me a **_**word**_**, for God's sakes, and I'll write it. Just give me one, please.**

For _une see_  
**Pairing: **NaruSaku  
**Word count: **612  
**Prompt: **Shampoo  
**Warning: **The ending is a bit awkward. A bit perverted, too, maybe?

Sakura slapped Naruto's hand away. "You're at the limit, Naruto," she reminded him. "No more than 50 cups at a time."

"But Sakura-chan!" he whined, blue eyes wide and pleading. "Just _one _more!"

She ignored him, switching the basket to the other hand – it was seriously heavy, even for her. She made a face at the overflowing cups of ramen weighing her down.

Naruto, noticing this, took the basket from her, and Sakura, too busy eyeing a stack of apples to care, let him.

They were grocery shopping, one of the most interesting activities the two partook in together. It was a ritual for Sakura to take her best friend out for it, as, if he was left alone, Naruto would stack up on ramen and conveniently forget everything else.

She snatched up a number of fruits for him and eyed their stock. There was ramen, milk, broccoli, oranges, grapes, apples, carrots, chicken, and a plethora of other things she had deemed necessary. She pulled out the list they had drawn up and scanned it.

'_Sugar, check… cheese, check… tomatoes, check… shampoo? Not check.'_

She looked up at Naruto, who was still staring longingly at the ramen display across the aisle, and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Naruto, just one more thing to go."

He followed her obediently, like a little puppy, and she smiled briefly to herself. It was nice to know someone who could listen.

Leading him to a shelf of shampoo bottles, she asked, "Which do you usually use?"

"Some extra-shine…bounce… styling… thing," he replied vaguely, shrugging. Already he was getting distracted, and juggling boxes of tampons.

Sakura turned red, partly from embarrassment at the items in her clueless friend's hands, and partly from quickly rising impatience.

"Okay, let's find a different one," she said, trying to control her temper. "Let's see, which one…?"

Naruto came up behind her and tugged affectionately on a lock of her hair. "Get me what you use. I want my hair to be as nice as yours, Sakura-chan."

Immediately she felt warm all over. Naruto had a way of doing that, of making her feel all fuzzy inside when he touched her or complimented her, which he did often. Unlike the majority of the people she knew, he tossed compliments her way like they meant nothing, but she knew they were always sincere. And he touched her even more. His hands, it seemed, were constantly on her.

She reached up, and brought down a lime green bottle of the shampoo she used herself, and handed it to him, smiling in a half-embarrassed, half-pleased sort of way. "You'll never have hair like mine, Naruto. But here you go anyways."

He grinned at her, and her stomach flipped over. "Thanks, Sakura-chan. Want to come over for dinner today?"

"Only if you cook," she replied, slipping her hand into his, an almost unconscious action. He squeezed it gently.

"Of course. Anything you want."

"And then we'll try out that shampoo," she went on, not realizing the implications of her sentence until it was too late.

Naruto, though, didn't notice, too busy eyeing some chocolate bars nearby. "Sure thing."

She stifled a sigh. Was it a good thing he didn't find her somewhat perverted, mostly accidental, innuendos? At least it kept her from the embarrassment.

They paid and he led her out, one hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her through the crowd of civilians going home for the day.

"So, I'll start the water, you can come join me?" He grinned innocently, but his eyes were anything but.

She threw the bottle of shampoo at him to distract him from her flaming cheeks.


	5. Gaara & Sakura, Proposal

**I'm still looking for requests, especially ones like the one I had for this chapter (since, honestly, this is the point of this whole exercise).**

**Pairing: **GaaSaku  
**Word count: **592  
**Prompt: **Ichiraku/shuriken/"You're an idiot."  
**Notes: **I actually think this might be my favorite one. Don't ask me why.  
Thank _irrationalism_ for this one.

There were only three places Sakura was likely to be whenever she was in Konoha.

The first was, obviously, the hospital. As the village's top medic (obviously disregarding the Hokage), the pink-haired kunoichi was needed at the hospital nearly all the time to save a few lives, heal a few bones, and mend a few wounds.

The second place was Team Seven's old training grounds. Sakura spent every free moment with her team at the place they most cherished, working with them to get stronger (which was actually a pretty scary thought, given how terrifyingly strong they already were).

The last place she could be found was Ichiraku. Considering her best friend was obsessed, and the rest of her team – including herself – couldn't cook to save their lives, it was only natural she'd grow a certain liking for the ramen Naruto held so dear.

Since he hadn't found her at the first two places, Gaara surmised she would be at the ramen stand, and quickly headed towards it.

And there she was, her head thrown back as she laughed with Naruto, chopsticks held loosely in her hand.

He came up behind her, and she noticed him at once, beaming. "Gaara! Hi!"

"Hi," he said shortly, nodding to both her and Naruto. He took a seat beside her, ignoring the empty one beside the bottomless pit.

"What brings you here?" she asked brightly, her cheeks still flushed from all the laughing she had been doing.

"More like who," Naruto muttered, shooting a sideways glance at the two. Gaara pretended not to hear, and Sakura scowled.

"I'm not paying for you anymore," she told him, eliciting a whine from the blond.

"Temari wanted to come and dragged me along," Gaara said in reply to Sakura's question. She grinned, eyes lighting up at the implied meaning behind his words. She and Shikamaru made _such _a cute couple.

"And you agreed?" Naruto snickered. "That's a first." He winked, and Sakura tugged self-consciously on a lock of her hair.

"I had to talk to the Hokage," Gaara said. And Sakura was sure she wasn't imagining it – he sounded defensive. "It's business."

"_Suuuuuuuuure_," Naruto said sarcastically.

"You're going to have to do that one day, too, Naruto," Sakura said, changing the subject smoothly.

"Yeah, but we won't talk _business_, we'll talk _girls_."

Sakura laughed again, and Gaara looked at her, face blank but gaze intense. She looked very pretty when she laughed.

She seemed to notice him watching her so intently and she flushed, her laughter dying in her throat. Luckily, Naruto was too busy speaking to notice.

"Yeah, and by then, you might be married to him, Sakura, so he might not talk about girls unless they're you…" Naruto suddenly glared at Gaara. "And if you cheat on her, I'll kill you."

"Naruto, show some respect!" Sakura cried, horrified at Naruto's treatment of the Kazekage.

Gaara, however, was annoyed for an entirely different reason. "You're an idiot," he snapped, standing up and brushing himself off.

As he passed, he muttered, "Do I look like the type who would cheat?"

Naruto exploded with laughter, and Sakura sat, shocked, a bite of noodles halfway to her mouth.

A number of customers turned to look at them, and Naruto crowed, "You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen! _The _Gaara, the Kazekage, has just asked Sakura to marry him!"

He barely had time to duck when the shuriken came whizzing at him, from the entrance of the stand and the seat beside him.

They were perfect for each other. Really.


	6. Naruto & Hinata, Fight

For **BJA Fan  
****Pairing: **NaruHina  
**Word count: **766  
**Prompt: **strong, fight  
**Notes: **It might be a bit rushed or awkward, but I couldn't figure out how to expand it without ruining it (more XD?). So yeah.  
And not funny, but I have an uberCRACK one coming up!

It was her dirty little secret. She felt awful for doing it, but she couldn't seem to stop. It—_he_—was a drug, and she was hopelessly addicted.

Hinata peered around a thick, tall tree just feet away from where Naruto was practicing his taijutsu on a practice dummy. He had shed his orange jacket, as he often seemed to do when practicing alone (and she would know), and his black t-shirt was sticking to him with the sweat from his training.

She flushed brilliantly. Ino and Sakura often gushed about Sasuke's chest, but she was certain he couldn't possibly have anything on Naruto.

He stopped, dropping to the ground and wiping his forehead. He suddenly grinned at his handiwork, the annihilated, mutilated figure lying limply a few feet away. "Take that, Bushy Brows. Nobody steals _my _ramen."

She followed his gaze to the dummy, on which he had drawn two thick lines that she suddenly realized were supposed to be a symbol of Lee's eyebrows.

She attempted to smother her giggles, but to no avail. Naruto heard, stood up, and peered around.

_Oh no!_

Before she could make a run for it, her favorite shinobi had spotted her, and his face broke out in a genuinely happy, if slightly puzzled, grin.

"Hinata? What are you doing here?"

She stepped out from the cover of the tree, burning red from mortification, and was immediately grateful to Ino for roping Shikamaru into helping her with her fainting problem.

"I-I was just… um…" What could she say? Nothing would get her out of this one.

"Were you watching me train?"

Hinata cringed, but Naruto didn't look annoyed or disgusted; on the contrary, he looked decidedly pleased.

He beckoned her closer, and she obeyed. "Want to spar with me?"

She bit her lip in response. Naruto looked _so _excited by the prospect, his blue eyes gleaming in anticipation, and she didn't want to let him down. She _never _wanted to let Naruto down.

On the other hand, she was a terrible fighter, and definitely much too weak to handle a powerhouse like her idol.

Naruto seemed to read her hesitation, and his smile dropped. His blue eyes turned serious, and Hinata felt the panic swell in her chest.

"Hinata," he said gently, probingly. "Why won't you ever fight?"

She clasped her hands together protectively over her heart. "W-what do you mean, Naruto-kun…?" she asked quietly.

He picked up his orange jacket and slipped his arms through the sleeves. "I mean, I've never seen you fight, except for that time with Neji during the Chuunin exams. I know you girls fight a lot, I've seen you at it—" Hinata prayed he didn't notice her blush; she didn't know Naruto saw them! She must've embarrassed herself, surely. "But you never seem to take part in it. I never see you train, but I know you must be doing it, because you've made it to Chuunin."

She felt her face warmed and she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, eyes on her sandals.

"So why won't you fight me?" he asked.

She peered up at him hesitantly. His head was cocked to the side, and his cerulean eyes were wide and inquisitive as he waited patiently for her answer.

He was so sweet, so gentle, that Hinata found her mouth opening and an honest, open reply forming.

"I-I'm not a very g-good fighter, Naruto-kun…" she said slowly, ducking her head again.

She heard a rustle of cloth and saw a flash of orange out of the corner of her eye before Naruto's calloused, tanned hand lifted up her chin so she could see his smiling face.

"I think you're fine, Hinata," he told her, seeming not to notice the double-meaning. "And I know you're stronger than you think." He stepped back into a defensive stance. "Fight me?"

Hinata blinked. She felt a smile creep onto her lip as she brushed back her hair, activated her Byakugan, and rushed her blond opponent.

She would lose, she knew. She wasn't cut out for fighting, especially when she was against Naruto.

But the little bubble of confidence, so easily deflated, was growing in her chest, and the warm feeling was spreading all over her body.

He tried to flip her over, but Hinata, being small and quick, easily evaded, to her surprise.

Naruto, however, didn't look phased, only grinned encouragingly at her. "I knew it," he aid cheerfully. "But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

He winked, and Hinata felt herself flush, flicking out a kunai.

_Thank you, Naruto-kun_.


	7. Sakura & Neji, Fear

For** TheFoxGirlKitsune **(sorry, I meant to post it earlier... it took a while.)  
**Pairing: **NejiSaku  
**Word count: **1, 784 (how do I do these things? I started out with a 500-word limit!)  
**Prompt: **Pond  
**Notes: **I kinda wanted to post this separately. I really liked it. XD Although, I really think I need to figure out how to stick to one idea. –sigh- A bit random, a bit awkward, but… whatever. I like it.

Everyone thought Sakura was afraid of either bugs or birds with pointy beaks, because that was what she led them to believe. She wasn't exactly keen to let anyone know her real fear, because it would undoubtedly get to Ino, who would surely torture her.

But she really had to get over it. It was crippling, and she couldn't afford the handicap.

But she would need help.

Her first choice was Naruto, was always Naruto, but he was on a mission and wouldn't be back until she left for her own.

Her other options were Kakashi or Hinata, but Kakashi was a closet gossip, and Hinata, while she would be gentle, would probably just make her more nervous.

So there she was, at her captain's door, squirming uncomfortably. "Will you help me?"

Neji Hyuuga looked down at her with those pearly, pale eyes that could look straight through her. One eyebrow was arched, and Sakura felt herself burn. But he was the best choice; he couldn't refuse, not if he didn't want his mission to be a failure, and Sakura knew he would never tell a soul.

"…You're afraid of _water_?"

"Shh, shut up!" she yelped, flapping her hands at him frantically, whipping her head around to scan the area with wide eyes.

"You're paranoid," he told her dryly. Nevertheless, he shut his mouth and stepped out of his house, beginning to walk away, wordlessly commanding her to follow, which she did, scampering to catch up.

"You walk too fast," she complained. She nearly had to jog to catch up.

"Your legs are too short," he retorted.

She looked down at the limbs in question. They were toned but pale, and she admired the scar running down her shin. Proof of her hard work. "They're pretty nice, though, don'tcha think?"

He rolled his eyes and didn't reply, leading her into the forest.

Sakura was going on a mission with him and Lee in three days' time, to River. She was needed for healing a dying Lord, and the two of them needed to escort and protect her from the men believed to have poisoned the Lord they wanted dead.

There were people who may try to kill her—or worse—if she went on this mission, yet she was freaking out over traveling through the water. Just what kind of nut was his ex-teammate in love with?

He didn't say anything, however, taking her deeper and deeper into the forest until they got to a pond.

It was a small pond, but not too small. He would have taken her to a bigger body of water, but this was the best he could come up with on such short notice.

However, when he looked at her, she was biting her nip nervously and shifting from one foot to the other.

Feeling his gaze on her, Sakura glanced at Neji. "What now?"

He gestured to the shimmering pond before them. "Now you face your fear."

She fidgeted, reminding him oddly of his cousin. "Um…"

"Haruno," he said sternly, "You asked for my help and I'm giving it. Now hurry up, I don't have all day."

"Ooh, hot date?" she teased, winking. He glared at her, making it painfully obvious her not-so-subtle attempts at stalling had failed. "Alright, alright. Jeez…"

He ignored her grumbles of bull-headed captains with severe social handicaps, and moved closer to the water's edge with her.

He waited impatiently for her to get in, and when she didn't, he urged her on.

"I'm right here, don't worry."

For some reason that made her flush as pink as her hair and smile, much to his bemusement. But then she shook her head.

"I just remembered. I… forgot my swimsuit! And I can't get my clothes wet, I need to work soon, and I haven't done my laundry yet, so…"

"Just take them off," he snapped. Really, this girl was too much.

Her eyes went round as saucers, and he mentally slapped himself. That came out wrong.

But she only grinned cheekily. "So commanding, _Captain_." And then she peeled off her shirt, skirt, and shorts.

Sakura didn't have much of a problem with being almost naked in front of men she knew at least decently well. She wasn't immodest, but in her line of work, when she often had to live with guys for days, traveling, sleeping, and even bathing with them, it got to a point where she didn't even blush anymore.

And like Neji, of all people, would bother checking her out! The idea itself was laughable. So, really, what did she have to worry about?

So she stood by the water in only her underwear, building up her courage, and not even looking at Neji, standing behind her, for which he was thankful.

Neji was _not_ easily impressed, and never thought Sakura Haruno, of all people, would ever manage to impress him. Her medic skills and strength aside, she wasn't particularly noteworthy, he thought.

Well, he _had _thought.

She stood before him now, with the sun gleaming on her smooth, milky skin. Her shoulders and neck sloped gently, her curves were more apparent than usual, and her legs—

_Holy shit._

His eyes shot up to her face as she turned around, twirling a piece of candy-pink hair around her finger nervously.

"You know, I think I'm fine with this, actually, I really don't—"

"Haruno."

"No, really, Neji." She was shaking her head now, stepping away from the water and bending down to scoop up her clothes. He rubbed his temples, forcibly averting his eyes from the sight. "I'm good. The mission will be fine."

"Haruno."

"I'm sorry for wasting your time. I'll make it up to you." She was babbling now, frantically pulling her shirt the right way (she had turned it inside-out when she took it off).

Neji's eyes narrowed at her shaking hands, and even more when she swallowed.

"I mean, it's just _water_, right? It's no big deal. Not like I can—can drown, or something…" She laughed nervously, too preoccupied to notice neither Neji approaching, nor the chest he was exposing as he pulled his shirt off. "Or choke or… you know. It's totally coo—Eep!"

Sakura yelped as Neji lifted her up into his arms, not slowing in the least as he carried her to the edge of the pond.

"Sakura," he said smoothly. She could feel the vibrations through his chest. "It is a pond. It's nothing to worry about, and if you can't handle even that, how do you expect to go on this mission?"

"I'll be fine," she insisted. Though the effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that she seemed to be trying to burrow herself into his chest. Neji assumed it must be for protection or comfort, but she buried her face in his neck and he was almost positive she had sniffed in his cologne and muttered something that sounded approving, so he couldn't be entirely sure.

Reaching the edge, he promptly dropped her in, shrieking and splashing.

Sputtering, she came to the surface. "What the hell was that, you idiot Hyuuga? What are you, stupid?" she demanded, trying to get out.

"Not quite," he replied, getting in himself. He looped an arm about her waist and dragged her away from the shore, though she attempted to kick him before latching onto his side. She was shaking.

"Don't worry so much," he chided her, gently.

"I'm trying," she said sulkily, tightening her grip around his neck.

"Try harder," he ordered, reaching up to try and loosen her vice-like grip. "I need to breathe," he reminded her when she, in response, tightened her hold even more.

"You're bad at this," she pouted. "I don't feel very at ease yet."

He just looked at her. "Relax."

"How can I?!"

"I won't let anything happen to you," he soothed, rolling his eyes.

And then he let go.

She flailed about, reaching for him as he moved away, her eyes wide. The pond wasn't so much of a pond in terms of depth. Neji could barely plant his feet comfortably at the bottom, but Sakura, being almost a foot shorter, couldn't quite manage.

She cursed and screamed, eventually calming down enough to tread water and stay afloat, though her eyes were still wide and fearful.

"See?" he said smugly. He sounded pleased.

Sakura glared at him. "Screw you." Then, exercising the perfect chakra control she was famous for, she pushed herself onto the surface of the water, dashing towards the shore. Bemused, Neji followed.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked her as she yanked on her clothes.

She whirled around, her shirt only half-on. "No, of course not. Perfect Neji never does anything wrong! He doesn't _ever _leave his teammates for dead in enemy territory!"

The situation was almost comical. Sakura, half-dressed and melodramatic, was flushed, her hair sticking to her cheeks in wet spikes, and glaring at a shirtless, puzzled Neji.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "But I decided it was the best way to help you."

She flipped him off, and he thought absently that she was spending way too much time with Naruto and Ino.

"Well, didn't it?" he pressed. "You weren't shaking when you got out."

She paused; evidently, she hadn't noticed this. But she didn't stay silent for long. "Still!" she burst out. "You just—you don't _do _things like that, without warning!"

"That would defeat the purpose," he pointed out dryly. Secretly, he was amused. Maybe this was why everyone was always hanging around Sakura? She was extremely entertaining.

"You don't dump people ponds, or let them go when they're too tiny to fend for themselves, or… or…" She was struggling to find another reason to yell at him.

Maybe he should help, actually.

He walked forward casually, but purposefully, leaving Sakura to stare at him, taken aback. He leant down when he was only inches away, tilting up her chin roughly to meet her lips with his.

Okay, yes, Neji liked when girls yelled at him. It was something of a turn-on.

When he pulled away, he suggested, "Or kiss them without warning…?"

She sputtered for a few seconds, finally managing a "Yes!" When he smirked, she went on with, "And you don't pull away so abruptly either!"

She dragged his face back down for another kiss, this one much longer, with tongues tangling, and moans sounding, and hands wandering where they shouldn't.

When they broke apart, breathing heavily, he took hold of her hand, dragging her away from the pond.

"Where are we going?" she gasped out, still short of breath. He looked back at her.

"The lake."

Time to try something a bit… _bigger_.

**A bit abrupt? I think I liked it a lot lot lot, though… **


	8. Sasuke & Sakura, Tempting

Now I have to think up little titles for these? Man. I scar people with my titles.  
For **InuFilipinaFan**  
**Pairing: **SasuSaku  
**Word count: **378  
**Prompt: **Pocky  
**Warnings: **Weird, stupid, maybe pervy, again.

The wrapper crinkled, and his eyes snapped to her.

When she slid the snack out, crumbs fell to her lap, and he licked his lips.

When she bit into it with a muffled _crunch_, he twitched.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you alright?"

Dammit, she noticed. He looked away, folding his arms across his chest in his typical I'm-too-good-for-you-and-your-pocky-because-I'm-hot-and-almight-Uchiha-hear-me-roar stance.

Yes, it was a very long stance.

"Yeah, I'm _great_."

But it was _awfully _hard to be aloof when your extremely hot girlfriend was sitting nearby, eating pocky.

_Chocolate _pocky.

And smacking her lips.

And licking the crumbs off her fingers.

And – oh, _God_ – moaning with barely suppressed delight.

He didn't know what he wanted more: her snack or _her_?

"Are you sure you're alright, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, cocking her head to the side and looking up at him with those big, bright eyes.

_Just peachy._

"I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth. Sakura was leaning towards him, and her breath smelled faintly chocolate-y.

He bit his tongue to keep him from leaning over and kissing her right there. Or asking for some of her pocky.

"You don't look fine," she insisted, laying one hand on his thigh. He looked down at it, then shifted his gaze to the other hand, clutching the coveted snack.

He swallowed, looking away from her. He refused to succumb to his foolish desires. Uchiha did not give up their pride for _chocolatey, wafery…_

There was a crumb on her lip, and at his intent gaze on them, she reached up tentatively and brushed it off.

_Plump, pink…_

Their eyes never left each others'.

_Ah, screw it._

He leaned forward, slanted his mouth over a very surprised Sakura's lips, and kissed her relentlessly. He slid his tongue in at once, and she eagerly returned the favor, their lips moving in synch; firm, soft, passionate.

Then he pulled away, breathing harshly, and muttered, "Sakura."

"Hm?" She was still dazed, and he allowed himself a smug little grin. Oh yeah, he totally kicked ass at kissing.

"Give me some of your pocky."

Bemused, she snapped out of her trance and held it out to him.

"You know, you could've just _asked_, Sasuke-kun."

He just looked at her, taking a bite of the pocky.

"But wasn't this more fun?"


	9. Orochimaru, Youth

For** Yunyin  
****Pairing: **None.  
**Word count: **276 (Sorry, it's short)  
**Prompt: **Lisps  
**Warnings: **This is freakishly cracky.  
**Notes: **…I'm not drunk/stoned/high/insane. Okay, maybe a little of the last. But yeah. And, of course, this would be before the more recent chapters (won't say it in case I spoil something), or maybe just a bit AU-ish? Yeah. Because nothing this stupid would ever happen in Naruto.  
I also realize I probably don't write anything you would expect when you give me these prompts. Which I hope isn't a problem for most of you.

"Thathuke-kun!"

Sasuke tore his gaze away from his ceiling. He was lying on his bed, waiting for sleep and glorious dreams of Orochimaru's and Itachi's heads on stakes and what he would make them do. He could have his own puppet theatre.

"_Orochimaru, you sick freak, I think I love you. But don't tell my only friend Sharkman. He has the hot for me, the twisted moron."_

"_Itachi-sama, I'm hot for my useless four-eyed medic. Sorry. But we can snuggle?"_

"_Oh, 'Rochi-kun!"_

"_Oh, Ita-kun!"_

Hehehe… he would scar a few kids, but who cared?

But now he was getting up and walking over to his door, peering out and along the corridor to see Orochimaru skipping giddily over to him. He looked like a really ugly girl.

"What." It wasn't a question. Questions encouraged Orochimaru to talk in that stupid snake-wannabe voice. Stupid man.

Orochimaru beamed, then opened his mouth to let his tongue roll out. Sasuke stifled a shudder. However, when he saw the slimy appendage, fully unrolled, he couldn't help it.

"You like, Thathu-kun?" Orochimaru asked him. Well, that explained his stupider-than-usual voice.

Orochimaru had gotten his tongue pierced. But, of course, he couldn't be a normal freak, oh no. along his long, grotesque tongue there were at least half a dozen piercings.

"Ithn't it cool?" Orochimaru asked, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes, and imitating the posture Sasuke had had a few years ago.

Dear God. He was trying to reclaim his youth. Soon he would be calling Kabuto his homie and wearing chains and piercing his eyebrow.

And that was when Sasuke began to plan. He would kill Orochimaru that night.

**Haha, I'm watching Orochimaru now. He's not so tough nomore ;)**


	10. Sasuke & Sakura, Connections

For **Vtmgirl  
****Pairing:** SasuSaku  
**Word count: **979  
**Prompt:** manga  
**Notes:** _Prince of Tennis_, I'm guessing, doesn't exist in Naruto, but it's my fic, so HAH. Go to Wikipedia and look it up if you've never watched/read it, and, of course, I don't own it.

And oh, my God, 100 reviews for this crackpile! Thank you, _Morbid Original!_

"Sakura. What are you doing?"

It wasn't often that Sasuke paid any mind to either of his teammates. Or, at least, let them know he was paying attention. But Sakura, who, for the most part, was relatively normal, and very bearable when she wasn't being such a girl, was distracting him.

The two of them were sitting under the trees. Training was over, although Kakashi was still helping Naruto with his genjutsu. The two of them were waiting, so they could all go out for dinner.

Sasuke had sat back against a tree, closing his eyes and relaxing, nearly falling into a light slumber, when he had been interrupted.

By a _squeal_.

He had opened his eyes to look at Sakura, who was grinning giddily, flipping through the pages of a brightly colored manga.

"Sasuke-kun," she said seriously, looking over at him, "I think I'm in love."

_That _made him sit up, eyes smoldering.

"With who?" Okay, that came out a little more harshly than intended. Dammit. No need to give the girl any ideas.

But Sakura didn't seem to notice, sighing dreamily as she leaned towards him. She held the manga open in front of his face and waved it a bit.

"_Echizen Ryoma," _she said, drawing the name out breathily, then giggling excitedly. "He is _so cute_, Sasuke-kun!"

He scoffed, gingerly plucking the book from her hands. The boy staring up at him on the glossy cover had dark hair, amber, cat-like eyes, and an all-too familiar expression. Smug, disdainful, yet carefully detached, all rolled into a pretty package.

"He's not real, Sakura," he reminded her, still looking through the manga. He spotted a girl with long hair in braids watching the boy, Ryoma, from afar, with an expression he had once been used to seeing on Sakura's face.

"He's still _gorgeous_," she retorted. "See, it's about this really wicked tennis player, Ryoma. Only he's just twelve, so it's _really _amazing—"

"He's _twelve_?" Sasuke echoed. "Sakura, you're sixteen. That's pedophilia, right there."

"Oh, shut up and let me finish," she snapped, smacking him lightly on the arm. Somehow she had ended up sitting so close beside him their knees were touching. She leaned closer to look at the manga with him, pointing to the girl he had noticed earlier.

"That's Sakuno, the granddaughter of his tennis team's coach, and basically his best friend outside of his team. It is so cute, she totally has a crush on him."

"Not real…" he muttered softly, looking at Sakura's pink hair spilling over his arm when she rested her chin against his shoulder. It smelled like watermelons.

"Still cute! Anyways," she went on, "She likes Ryoma because he's really cool, and always so composed, and because he is just _amazing _at tennis. She even joins the tennis club at school to be more like him. Too bad he doesn't see it." She sighed, suddenly despondent. "Who knows if he feels the same?"

He glanced at the page again. The girl was watching Ryoma with an enraptured expression. Ryoma, however, paid her no mind, bringing his racket forward to hit the ball.

A few pages later, the boy was watching the girl interact with another boy, his eyes narrowed minutely as he tried fruitlessly to pretend he didn't care.

"How do you know that?" he asked, flipping through the pages. It really was quite interesting. Though really, what was so great about this Ryoma kid?

"Well, I don't," she admitted, shrugging. "But he's really popular, he has a huge fanclub, and there are so many people admiring him. His universe is just too big." By now, her voice had dropped considerably, and Sasuke peered at her out of the corner of his eyes, still focused on the book in front of him.

He was short, after all. And who the hell had eyes like that, really?

"But she _is_ his friend," he pointed out.

"Well, sure. But maybe that's all she is. He hardly ever does anything for her, how can she know whether he feels something else?"

He really wasn't jealous of a fictional character. He was pretty cool, and sure, Sakura was cooing over him, when she _should _be cooing over him, but still. He didn't even exist!

He put the book down, glared at it, then looked back up at Sakura, his expression dropping into a calm, indifferent one.

"Well, just putting up with her shows he cares, doesn't it?" he argued. What was he doing?

"I suppose…" Sakura mumbled, looking away. "But he should be able to say things, too."

"Things like…"

"I don't know!" she burst out. "Things like, 'Sakura, I'll treat you to ramen'! It's not fair to keep her guessing, to—to buy her stuff one day and ignore her the next. To be her knight in shining armor, and then turn around and be the bad guy!" she babbled, not seeming to notice her slip-up in her anger.

Sasuke just looked at her.

Naruto and Kakashi came up to them then, the former seeming unable to contain his excitement. "Hey! Hey! Let's go eat. And then, Sasuke, let's spar. I'm gonna kick your a—"

"Sorry," he said, smoothly cutting off his best friend. He was still looking at the pink-haired girl in front of him, face flushed from her outburst, chest heaving as she tried to calm down. "I can't make it, I'm busy."

"Busy with what?" Naruto demanded as Sasuke got to his feet.

He ignored him, instead extending a hand to Sakura, which she took confusedly, letting him pull her to her feet. "Sasuke-kun, what—"

"Come on," he said, dragging her away and not noticing that Naruto had shut up and was now gaping at them, and even Kakashi had put away his book to watch. Sakura's manga lay on the grass, forgotten. "I'll treat you to ramen."


	11. Kiba & Sakura, Good Girls

For **Ultimate Chibiness  
****Pairing: **KibaSaku  
**Word count: **1282  
**Prompt:** mud  
**Notes: **I don't think this is really the kind of guy Kiba is, but I really liked how I portrayed him, so I don't care.

"Ew, Kiba! You're disgusting!"

Kiba looked up, brushing a hand over his sweaty and dirty forehead, and only managing to leave a smear of brown earth over it.

"What's the matter? Prissy little Sakura's afraid of a little dirt?" he crowed, laughing.

Sakura winced, watching Kiba return to rolling around in the dirt, trying to catch Akamaru.

It wasn't that she couldn't bear the thought of dirt. She often got slime and blood and dirt and sweat all over her. But that was when she was on a mission, not when she was freshly showered, with her hair tamed and clipped back and wearing a nice white summer dress. Not on her day off, when she was wandering around in pretty clothes and looking her best and looking for someone to spend the day with.

She was hoping to spend time with Hinata or Naruto. Instead she found Kiba.

She snorted in response to his mocking, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "Hardly. I just like being clean. You wouldn't know what that feels like, but I assure you, it's wonderful."

He sat up more fully, leaning one elbow against an upraised knee and propping his chin up on it. "You sound like on of those smart elitist snobs."

She sputtered. "What?"

"Yeah," he said, grinning at her. "Like one of those presumptuous little bitches I can't stand."

She scoffed, turning away slightly.

"See that? All pretty and made-up, with perfect posture and all." He stood up, raking a hand through his hair. "And on top of that, you're scared of a bit of mud—"

"Am _not_," she protested. But he cut her off before she could go on.

"It's not entirely your fault," Kiba went on. "Your teammates treat you like some sort of doll. Naruto never lets you cook or clean. Sasuke's always protecting you. Heck, I doubt you even know how to swear. You're such a princess, Sakura."

She flushed. It was true; all of it. True, she could hold her own in a fight, and she could take care of herself. But everyone was always so pushy, always spoiling and pampering her, that aside from her heavy-duty training, studying, and responsibilities at the hospital, she barely did anything for herself.

And it was true, she never swore. She was the good girl, after all.

"Come on, Sakura," Kiba said, reaching a hand out to her and grinning in a way she could only describe as devilish. "Come over to the dark side." He winked. "I'll show you a good time."

She couldn't quite explain why her breath caught in her throat, or her pulse quickened. She didn't now why her cheeks heated up or she found herself stepping forward.

But she was doing all of it.

She knew what was happening. Kiba, with messy brown hair and amused brown eyes and a wolfish grin, covered with dirt that only added to his look of the Bad Boy, the kind who wore leather jackets and broke windows and talked back to figures of authority… was suddenly attractive to her.

And judging by the way his amused grin widened, he knew she thought so.

"I know I'm hot, Sakura, but jeez," he said, "You act like you've never seen a guy before."

She scowled. Okay, so he was kind of cute. He was annoying, though. "You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?"

"Babe, I know I do," he laughed, trying to slip an arm about her waist when she shrieked.

"Kiba! You're filthy! _Don't touch!_"

"See what I mean? Relax. I'm trying to give Akamaru a bath; I'll hose you down, too." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and she turned away to hide her embarrassed flush, huffing and turning up her nose.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself." And then he was turning away, sliding back into the dirt and mud to catch his beloved but filthy dog, Sakura forgotten.

She watched him for a moment, before shaking her head, whirling around, and stalking away.

-o-

But she came back. In red shorts and a white tank top, her short hair pulled back with a black headband, she stood before Kiba with one hand propped on her hip.

He blinked at her, before his lip turned up in a roguish grin. "Hey, hot stuff. Came crawling back, didja?"

She snorted, stepping forward easily. "Couldn't have you getting the wrong ideas, buddy."

"The truth hurts, I know," he said mock-sympathetically. Then he held his arms out to her. "I just finished with Akamaru. It's my turn now. Care to join me?"

She bristled, but looked him straight in the eye and leapt forward, straight into his arms. Kiba, unsuspecting, stumbled and fell back with her added weight, hitting the ground with a thud and an "Oof!"

Sitting up to straddle him, Sakura smiled, leaning forward so the tips of her hair tickled his cheeks. He looked bemused for a moment, quickly regaining his posture and grinning as he propped himself up on his elbows to meet her lips.

"You could have just asked—"

_SPLAT!_

Kiba grimaced at the cool, sticky mud that hit him straight in the chest. He heard Sakura laugh and try to roll off of him, but he reached out a hand to snag her by the wrist and tug her down to fall on his chest. As he rolled them over to flip their positions, she squealed, before the sound was abruptly cut off because he was kissing her with all he had.

She squirmed slightly from under him, but more from surprise than anything, and it made him groan into her mouth. His hands were holding hers down, and she was slipping her tongue into his mouth and they were battling it out, his mouth moving relentlessly over hers and—

"Eek!"

He smeared a blob of mud over her, and she abruptly pushed him away, red patches blossoming over her cheeks. "You pervert!" she shrilled, tugging on her shirt and staring in horror at the dark smear running across her chest.

He grinned. It was an accident, but she didn't need to know that. "Who, me?"

She glared at him, crouching to scoop up twin handfuls of mud. "Oh, it is _so _on."

He cocked his head to the side. "Bring it, babe."

And with an exasperated shout of "Don't call me that!" she attacked.

-o-

Kiba couldn't even remember the last time he had had as much fun. The only girl he could flirt with and rile up as much as Sakura was Ino, and being a fair bit less… _innocent_ as Sakura, she was harder to bait.

But Sakura flushed at every nickname, every comment about her shirt that was "really getting dirty, don't you think? Why don't you just take it off?" or how they should try a mud _bath _next time. And then she would throw some mud at him with the force of a kunai, or knock him off his feet and twist his arm behind his back.

"You're really too cute, Sakura," he complimented, honestly meaning it. She rolled her eyes, panting. "And I think you win. We smell. Come on, I'll hose you off." She looked wary, but followed him around the corner of the house.

When they were both sopping wet, the mud washed off if not the stains, she looked expectantly at him.

"_Now _tell me I'm a prissy little good girl," she challenged.

He laughed. "No way, Sakura. You're as badass as they come." Rolling up the hose and hanging it on a hook, he started towards the door to his house. "Good girls don't kiss like that."


	12. Sakura & Sasuke & Karin, Catfight

Did you guys miss me? it's been ages, I know. But I'm baacckkk!  
For **kunoichi13** (Your other request is coming up. Er, later.)  
**Pairing (well, not really)**: SakuKarin enemy-ship, SasuSaku-ish. Sorta.  
**Word count: **1395  
**Prompt:** "Hands off, you bitch!"  
**Warnings:** I don't much like Karin. I don't even know many people who do. But whatever. I don't bash characters, but this is basically Sakura's POV, and for her, Karin's the enemy. So yeah.  
Man, it turned out nothing like I hoped for. This is what I get for seeing my stories come to life in my head before I sit down and write. It's much too dramatic, I wanted humor. The ending kinda is what I aimed for, though. You know, nonsense?

Sasuke cursed. What the _hell _was his old team doing here? Didn't they have anyone else to chase after?

He had been with his new team of Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo, traveling through a leafy forest, when Karin and he had stopped, feeling an all-too-familiar – at least to Sasuke – group of people drawing near.

Naruto was the first to burst through the foliage in front of them, but before he could get to Sasuke, Suigetsu leapt forward to fight him. Sasuke muttered to him not to kill Naruto as he passed him, and so wasn't too worried.

Not that he _would _be, anyways, he amended silently. He didn't care about them anymore. But it would be problematic if either of them died.

Next Kakashi appeared, and Sasuke allowed himself a brief moment to look him over. He hadn't seen his old teacher for years, after all. He looked much the same, and Sasuke allowed Jugo to run forward and engage in combat with him.

Another shape darted out of the cover of the trees, and Sasuke's gaze snapped to it. But it wasn't Sakura; it was that annoying Sai, who looked so much like him.

But then where was Sakura? he wondered. He knew she would have to be around… and Karin had been left farther back…

_Shit! _He cursed inwardly just as Karin's shriek rang out, and he slipped back into the trees before anyone could notice. Suigetsu and Jugo could handle them for a few minutes, at least. He hoped.

-o-

Sakura was hurt. But more than that, she was furious.

When Sasuke had left, she had dropped her silly little-girl feelings. She was possessive of him as only a friend should be. She cared about him, worried about him, and wanted him to be happy. Just like Naruto.

But that was a lie. She knew it was. She still loved Sasuke, and only the thought that he had no patience for girls comforted her enough to let her forget how she felt so she could train, train, and train harder.

But here was a girl in front of her, Sasuke's new teammate. Worse, a girl just like her. Who was annoying, sheltered, and head-over-heels for Sasuke.

A girl who was taking her place as the closest girl in the world to Sasuke.

A fact that only became too clear when Sasuke appeared and stood in front of Karin, just as she unleashed a barrage of kunai.

He deflected them easily, not even blinking, not offering any acknowledgement that she was in front of him, the girl he had once secretly sworn to protect.

"Sasuke!" Karin gasped from behind him, clutching at the sleeves of his shirt. When Sakura took a threatening step forward, Karin grinned smugly and held tighter, pressing herself more closely to him. "Thank goodness."

Sakura was crushed, more so when Sasuke made no move to shrug the girl off, as he had always done to her.

"Sasuke-kun, I—" She broke off. What was she supposed to say to him? She was only supposed to deal with the girl. Naruto was supposed to talk to Sasuke. Only he could handle him.

No one had expected Sasuke to come rescue Karin.

"Sakura. What are you four doing here?" His voice betrayed only a hint of his frustration, and her resolve strengthened.

"We're here to take you home, Sasuke."

"Konoha isn't his home anymore," Karin snapped, before Sasuke could speak. "And you're not his teammate anymore." Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "_We _are."

"I wasn't talking to you, you idiot," Sakura snarled, impatience rising, "Stay out of this."

"Why should I?" Karin demanded, sneering. "Sasuke-_kun _isn't complaining."

Oh, that was it.

Sasuke took a step back, finally pulling out of Karin's grasp as Sakura's eyes flashed.

"Hands off, you _bitch_!"

-o-

Naruto wiped the blood from his lip, breathing heavily as he faced Suigetsu, also panting.

"Give up, kid?"

"You only wish."

The ground under them shook, and Naruto grinned to himself. Sakura was amazing.

There was a scream then, and he paled suddenly.

_That was Sakura…_

He glanced at Kakashi and Sai. They were looking around, too, Jugo lying unconscious and beaten on the ground some feet away.

Then Naruto noticed something, and his blood ran cold.

_Where was Sasuke?_

-o-

Sasuke didn't think he had ever seen anything so disturbing.

Karin was flat on her stomach, her head pulled back by her hair, which Sakura had in her grip.

"You stay away from him, you understand?" his ex-teammate was shouting.

"Make me, whore!" his new teammate shrieked back.

"I'll show _you_ who's a whore!"

They had moved so fast Sasuke couldn't jump in. This wasn't normal fighting. Normal fighting was slicing at your enemies, and beating them until they were unconscious. This was hair-pulling, screaming insults, scratching. This was brutal.

And, okay, maybe a bit hot. On one end, anyways.

"Sasuke doesn't like you in that way!" Sakura shouted. Her hair was a mess, her shirt was ripped, and there were scratches all along her arms.

She was better off than Karin, though, who was sporting a black eye, a split lip, and… bite marks. "And what? He likes _you_, then? He left you! He came for me!"

Her words hit home, and Sakura froze.

It was true. It was all true.

She looked over at Sasuke. He was heading over to them finally, his eyes dark and expression composed. He didn't even look at her, pulling Karin away first.

When he finally met her gaze, she was crying.

-o-

How did he do this? She was strong now. She wasn't that twelve-year-old anymore. She never would be again.

So why was she crying?

Sasuke steadied Karin on her feet, and told her to leave and get the others. When she was gone, he looked down at the battered pink-haired kunoichi sitting on the ground and shaking with silent sobs. He crouched down in front of her, reaching out to tilt her chin up so he could examine her face. It was dirt- and tear-stained, but otherwise unblemished.

Good.

"You're very possessive, you know," he remarked in his deep, impassive voice. "I don't belong to you."

Sakura felt her face burn with shame and she tried to look away. But Sasuke hadn't let go of her. He moved his rough hand to cup her cheek.

"Haven't I always told you your emotions get the better of you? You're worse than Naruto," he scolded gently.

She choked out a nervous laugh. Even when Sasuke was a missing-nin, sitting alone with him brought her no fear. Only embarrassment.

"I guess I still have work to do," she said. Then she swallowed.

"You should know better than to listen to the enemy. They lie." He stood up to leave, but Sakura stopped him.

"And what about you? You're my enemy."

He looked down at her, and for a moment – only a moment – something flickered in those cold, empty eyes.

"I'm not your enemy. I never will be," was all he said, however.

He leapt into the trees, but before he fully disappeared, he said, "And I'm not Karin's, either. I'll be speaking with her."

"Sasuke-kun, wait!"

He complied, and Sakura was momentarily taken aback. Recovering quickly, she asked, "Why did you pick her?" when he didn't respond, she clarified, "I mean… why did you protect her? Why did you go to her?" There was so much she needed to ask him, but only one he might answer that would give her some peace of mind. Or break her. Either way.

He only looked at her. "I couldn't have you kill my teammate, could I?"

And then he was gone.

Sakura smiled to herself. It seemed Sasuke had finally acknowledged her strength.

-o-

Sasuke had been in a bad mood since they left his tem. He nearly chopped off Suigetsu's head when he saw the damage done to Naruto, then came close to impaling Jugo when he commented on his protectiveness of his old team.

He spoke to Karin privately, and when she returned to their camp, alone, she looked pale and confused.

"What did he say?" Suigetsu asked her.

"Told me he had no interest in me, and…"

Suigetsu held back his laughter at Karin's expense. "And?" he prodded.

She blinked at him, bemused. "Thanked me for not getting her face."


	13. Shino & Temari, Klutz

For** irrationalism  
****Characters: **Shino, Temari  
**Word count: **1,175  
**Prompt: **doorway/pears/"Have I mentioned yet how much I hate you?"  
**Notes: **I love this chick's prompts. And I love Gaara.

Temari groaned. Really, was it possible to have such bad luck? She was a _ninja_, for God's sake! A damn good one, too. She was the sister of the Kazekage, she could take down Kankuro in two minutes flat, and even Shikamaru complimented her on her intelligence. And she had a huge fan! She was brilliant! She was beautiful! She was the toughest chick around, she was graceful, always alert, and definitely did _not _go around walking into doors!

She glared at the offending area above her head. Okay, so it wasn't _really _a door she had walked into. She was aiming for the door. Instead she hit the doorway. Even she was unsure how she managed it.

The only thing Temari could be grateful for was that no one had seen her. If word of her klutziness got around—

"Are you okay?"

The voice was deep, a bit raspy, and unfamiliar; definitely not Ino. However, that didn't stop Temari from leaping to her feet, whirling around, and shouting "Fine! I'm fine! Just looking for my contacts!" in an overly cheerful, obviously fake voice.

"…Okay…"

She laughed nervously, then finally took a moment to scrutinize the person eyeing her from the table in the empty (aside from the two of them) room. (It was a bit of a lounging area for the medics and nurses in the hospital where Temari had been forced to sit and wait while Gaara went to get "a check-up." _Yeah, from his girlfriend_, Temari thought, snickering inwardly.)

He had wild brown hair, and that was about all she could tell. The collar of his jacket hid the bottom half of his face, and his eyes were covered by round sunglasses perched on his nose.

_What a weirdo_ was her first thought. Still, she was sure she had seen him around before…

"Who are you?" she asked before she could stop herself, crossing the room in four long strides and dropping into a chair across from him.

"Aburame Shino," he answered quietly, dropping his gaze – or so it seemed, anyways – to the paper laid out on the table in front of him.

"I'm Temari," she said, although he hadn't asked. "Are you a medic?"

If she had met this guy at any other time, any other place, Temari wouldn't bother speaking to him. But she was _bored_, dammit! Her baby brother _so _owed her for this. Or maybe she had just hit her head when she crashed into that doorway…

The thought made her wince inwardly.

"No," Shino replied. What was with this guy and these one-word answers? He was like the 12-year-old Gaara—minus the "I KILL YOU" temper tantrums.

"Then what," she said slowly, trying to keep a reign on her temper, "are you doing here?"

Shino finally looked up, setting his papers aside, and met her gaze with his lensed one. "I have an upcoming mission with Sakura and Neji. I need to speak to them about it, so Sakura told me to wait here for her," he explained flatly.

Temari nodded in understanding. Why was this guy so boring? "So… what kind of mission is it?"

"Assassination. Sakura's going to kill a few people. She likes that kind of thing."

Temari made a face. Maybe Sakura and Gaara weren't so cute together, after all. He was a bad influence on her. But then Shino turned his head to the side, his cheek tensing just the slightest bit to let her know he was smiling, amused.

Amused at _her_.

That _asshole._

She glared, trying her best to look menacing. Which was hard when you were a _ninja_ that had just walked into a freaking _doorway_, and had completely missed the sarcasm in your _enemy's_ comment.

Granted, Shino's sarcasm probably sounded like Shino's death threats, Shino's angsting, and Shino's giddiness. But still.

Shino stood up. "Would you like anything to eat?"

She probably noticed her fingering her fan. _That's right, coward. Fear me!_ "Like what?"

"What do you want?"

_Bat wings and fish eyeballs. _"Whatever. Food." _Duh._

Shino seemed to be thinking along the same lines, since he stared at Temari for a full six seconds, before turning and opening the door of the small fridge located a convenient two steps away from the table.

"There are only fruits," he told her, looking inside. "And some juice and carrots."

Temari made a face. _Doctors. Bah. _"Fruit is good."

Shino nodded once, pulled two pears out, and shut the door. Handing one carefully to her - obviously, Temari's reputation had been tarnished permanently in his eyes – he sat back down and bit into it.

Temari frowned down at her fruit. She needed her pears cut. Otherwise she couldn't stomach them.

And then the proverbial lightbulb went off in her head. Smirking, she pulled out a kunai.

Shino watched her, seeming to tense up. She suppressed a frown. She would show him what she could do. Balancing the kunai in one hand, and her pear in the other, Temari tossed the two in succession, aiming it _just right—_

"Are you sure you should be doing that?"

Startled, Temari jerked, catching the knife awkwardly. It cut into her palm, slicing it through the middle. Blood oozed out and she stared at it for a moment, before snapping her head up to glare at Gaara, who was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.

"See what you made me do?" she scolded. "Don't bother your big sister when she's busy."

Gaara smirked at her, choosing not to respond. Instead, he directed his gaze at Shino. "You can talk to her now. She's with Hyuuga in her office."

Shino nodded, but his eyes were fixed on Temari. "Do you want some help with that?" he asked, nodding at the cut on her palm.

Looking annoyed and ashamed, she nodded and stuck her hand out, looking determinedly away so she could mentally berate herself without any distractions.

Shino worked carefully, and she wanted to scream. It was just a _cut! _She wanted it cleaned because the sight of her own blood disturbed her, but God! He didn't need to treat her like some—some doll!

"I saw you in the Chuunin exam," he said suddenly. So that was why he looked so familiar. "You went against Shikamaru, right?"

"Yeah." She swallowed down the bitter memory of her sort-of-defeat.

"You were strong. And very skilled. It was a good match." Finished with her hand, Shino stood up. "Perhaps you can spar with me before you leave."

Before she could get out so much as a "Sure," Shino was heading for the door.

He looked back just before he left, though. "You might want to put some ice on your forehead, by the way."

_Dammit!_

She scowled, but he was already gone. Gaara, however, was still standing by the door.

"You walked into the door again?"

"Why are you still here? Go away."

Gaara turned to examine the doorframe. "Did you know you left a dent?"

"Have I mentioned yet how much I hate you?"

-o-

**Awkward, I think. It gave me a lot of trouble. But I still liked it.**


	14. Deidara & Ino, Clone

For **FreeFallJumper  
****Pairing:** DeiIno  
**Word count: **2,140  
**Prompt:** Iced tea  
**Notes:** I could _not _figure out how to end this. I was seriously stuck for the longest time on this one. It finally came to me, though, and doesn't seem to fit with the rest of it, but I like this one. I really like the pairing now, too.

'_This… is nice.'_

Understatement of the century.

Ino was on the roof of the most fantastic hotel she had ever come across. After all that had happened with Asuma-sensei and Akatsuki (and a minor breakdown of Chouji's), Tsunade had decided to give her, Chouji, and Shikamaru a mini-vacation. They were, technically, on a mission gathering information about Akatsuki members that had been spotted in the area, but the accommodations were absolutely fabulous.

Now Shikamaru and Chouji were out, talking to the residents of the village. She had been up late the night before looking through all the notes they had taken and so hadn't woken up when the boys left, not that they had tried to wake her. But while it had sent her into an indignant rage earlier, now she was grateful.

Because _she_ was the one now sitting by a glittering pool and lying in the sun.

She sighed, closing her eyes against the glare of the sun and letting her body sink into the chair. This place was beautiful, and a refreshing place to clear her thoughts. It was peaceful. It was quiet.

"Now _that's _a pretty picture, yeah."

Or was.

Ino's eyes snapped open to glare at a tall blond standing directly in front of her. He was blocking the sun, and his face was in shadow. She could only make out his tall form, no specifics.

Honestly. Couldn't she go _one day _without getting hit on by random creeps?

"Excuse me?" she bit out icily.

"I like your hair," he said. He sounded amused.

She was momentarily thrown aback. "My… Excuse me?"

He had been turning to walk away; now he looked back to face her once again. "Your hair. It's nice…?"

"I know that," Ino snapped impatiently. "But usually pervs check out my body." She gestured to the hourglass figure barely covered with a purple bikini. "I mean, duh?"

"I assure you, I'm no perv," the guy said. He was laughing now. "But if it makes you feel better, you are one nice piece of ass."

She huffed, keeping her eyes on him as he moved to sit down on a nearby chair. As if feeling her gaze, he turned around to face her, and she gasped.

"You… you…" There were no words to describe him. "You _biter_!"

The stranger arched an eyebrow. He was still grinning. "Excuse me?" he asked politely, unconsciously using her earlier words.

"My hair!" she shrilled, tugging on her ponytail to emphasize. "Shoot, that hurt… anyways, my hair! You totally took my style!"

He only shook his head. "I've never even met you before; how could I copy you? And anyways," he added, "who's to say _you're _not the biter, hmm?"

Ino opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking for something to say. In the end, she just huffed and turned away, trying in vain to ignore the chuckles of the man a few seats away.

-o-

Twenty minutes later, she was still fuming, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, he totally stole her hairstyle. And then he dared to imply _she _was the copier! _And _he had made that comment about her body (and dared to pretend he was indulging her with it! As if!). And then he went and got the last word.

That was really the most annoying thing. Ino was _never _speechless. She always had something to say: to Lee, when he ranted about youth; to Neji, when he spoke to her about ninjutsu techniques she could care less about; to Shikamaru when he said something she didn't even understand…

But she didn't have one thing to throw at some cute boy with good hair? Unacceptable.

As if reading her thoughts, said cute boy turned to meet her gaze, and smiled.

She scowled, flipping him off and adjusting her sunglasses. Now that she could see him properly, she could see he had a well-sculpted face, with defined features and a strong jaw. He had long, lean limbs, and a hard-looking six-pack.

Why were the good-looking ones always so annoying?

So deep was she in her thoughts, that she didn't notice when he came to sit by her until his arm brushed hers and she jumped, startled.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

She scoffed, examining her nails carelessly. "You couldn't scare my cat, honey."

"Honey?"

She glanced at him. "Would you prefer asshole?"

"Not really. But I figure you deserve a nickname too, don't you gorgeous?"

She was taken aback once again. What was with this guy? It was like talking to _herself_!

"Don't call me that," she snapped.

"Why not? It's the truth, isn't it?"

She frowned at him. Why did it sound like he was making fun of her? "Of course it is," she conceded. "But I highly doubt my boyfriend would like you talking about me like that."

Immediately she wanted to kick herself. _What _boyfriend?

"Boyfriend, huh?" He sounded amused, and when she looked at him, one eyebrow raised as if to say _Yeah, so? _He looked like he was trying hard not to laugh, schooling his expression into a politely interested one.

"Yes," she replied snottily. And, before she could stop herself, she added, "His name is Shikamaru. And he's _totally _strong. He'll kick your butt if he finds you flirting with me."

He leaned back, tipping his face towards the sun. "Well, you know, I think I'll risk my ass for a bit of flirting."

She snorted. "Your funeral."

"All for you, gorgeous."

"Don't call me that!"

And so it went. Hot Boy continued to pester Ino with not-so-subtle flirtations and questions about her supposed boyfriend, and she was forced to reply in turn about how smart and cute (gag) Shikamaru was.

Seriously. Why was it always her?

"So you like smart guys, huh?" he asked her after she mentioned Shikamaru's IQ of 200.

"Mm-hmm."

"That's too bad. I'm not all that intelligent, myself."

"Really? I couldn't tell," she deadpanned.

He laughed. "Well, it's true. I'm more of an artist."

That made her sit up straighter and look at him, mouth agape. An artist? That just upped his appeal.

Dammit!

"Really?" she asked before she could stop herself. Then she cleared her throat. "I mean… you know. That's cool."

He chuckled. "I guess so."

She turned away to hide her flaming cheeks, and inwardly berated herself. She had done it again!

-o-

She was trying really hard to ignore the guy beside her, really. Aside from the fact that he was extremely gorgeous, funny, and an annoying biter, he was easy to forget about and ignore.

But when she called for a drink, and they both reached for the last one of its kind on the tray, she lost her control again.

"What are you, a flippin' _clone_?" she demanded. "Hands off my iced tea!"

"I don't see your name on it," Cute Boy retorted, before snatching the glass and taking a sip. He grinned at her, apparently thinking he had won.

_Not happening._

Ino narrowed her eyes behind her sunglasses, but smiled at him all the same. It was her best smile, Sakura said, and the one she used most often to get what she wanted. He looked taken aback, and Ino cheered inwardly, seizing the moment and reaching forward to pluck the glass from his hands so quickly Cute Boy had no time to react.

"I already drank from that," he pointed out when he saw her about to take a sip.

"So?" And she gulped greedily from the glass. "I don't believe in cooties."

"I'm sure you don't." He smirked.

"Are you calling me a slut?"

"What gave you that idea?"

She huffed, turning away to glare at the glittering water of the pool in front of her. Her gaze skittered over the people in it: a couple of little boys splashing around, a tired-looking mother, and—

_Score!_

--An extremely yummy dark-haired lifeguard her age, laying back with his eyes on her. She flashed him a smile, and was ready to go over and introduce herself, when a noise from beside her made her stop.

"What?" she snapped at Cute Boy.

He looked at her with too-innocent eyes. "What?" he echoed.

"Why'd you laugh at me?"

"I didn't laugh at you." Still feigning innocence. Jerk.

She threw up her hands, exasperated. "Whatever." Before she could get up, though, she was stopped. Again.

"Where are you going?" Cute Boy asked. "To see Shikamaru?"

_Ah, crap._

Well, now she was already up. Not like she could sit back down. But she couldn't approach Cute Lifeguard, either. So she settled for the next best thing.

Turning on her heel, she flounced over to the edge of the sparkling blue of the pool, appraised it for a moment, then jumped in with a splash!

Surfacing, she blinked to get the water out of her eyes, glancing first at the lifeguard, who was watching her intensely, to Cute Boy, who… wasn't.

She growled deep in the back of her throat, wondering just what could have caught his attention. She followed his gaze, and—

_Oh. Crap._

This was so typical of her luck, to be wading in the deep end of a pool, looking like a drowned rat, with Cute Boy turning to grin widely at her, with no chance of escape, and her supposed-boyfriend-but-really-annoying-teammate arriving on the scene.

"Ino," Shikamaru drawled, crouching down by the edge of the pool. She swam over to him, trying to look dignified while pushing sopping wet tendrils of blonde hair away from her face.

"Yeah, Shikamaru?" she prodded before she could stop herself. Then her baby-blues widened, and she snapped her gaze to the beach chair, that was now conspicuously empty.

Scanning the area, she saw no cute blond boy, and relief and disappointment battled it out inside her as she turned her attention reluctantly back to Shikamaru.

"…found out some stuff, so let's get back to the room and go over it," he was saying. Really, Ino thought, he was kind of boring. Maybe it was a good thing Cute Boy left.

But then she realized she didn't get so much as his _name_. Forget seeing him again.

Hauling herself out of the pool, she took the towel her teammate grabbed for her and said, not bothering to hide her misery, "Well, let's go then."

-o-

Ino leaned over Shikamaru to look more closely at the reports Chouji held, not quite able to believe what they were telling her.

"He has blonde hair—" Shikamaru glanced at her—"kind of like yours, Ino, same style, but darker. He's an art-fanatic, uses exploding clay models and calls them his 'masterpieces.'"

He continued to drone on, but Ino couldn't hear him over her own panicked thoughts.

Had she just been hit on by _an Akatsuki member?!_

-o-

Well, not that there was any evidence. It could've been a coincidence. Or, at least, that was the hope Ino clung to, standing outside on the balcony in the cool night air. She had quite liked Cute Boy. And to know that he was a bad guy who she had just learned all about from her team's information-gathering mission, no less, was unpleasant.

Why were all the cute guys bad? she wondered helplessly. It just wasn't fair. First Sasuke, now Deidara…

"Yeah?"

Oops. Did she say that out loud? She berated herself inwardly, whirling around to meet Deidara's lone visible eye.

Her heart sunk. He was wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. She knew she should call Shikamaru, but—she didn't.

Deidara held up a glass. "Brought you a drink."

She cast him a suspicious glance, so he grinned at her, lifted the glass to his lips, and took a sip. Then he held it out to her.

Tentatively, she stepped closer, wrapping her fingers around the cool glass and bringing it to her lips to take a sip.

Iced tea.

She smiled at him, handing the glass back. He drank again, and she didn't miss how he rotated the glass to cover the gloss-coated part with his own mouth.

Her stomach was bombarded with butterflies as she took another sip, stepping closer, drinking from the same spot.

He took anther sip. So did she. And she stepped closer.

This continued for two more rounds, until the glass was empty and tossed away, and Ino was pressed against Deidara, and his lips were on hers, and his hands were in her hair, and her hands in his, and their tongues were winding together…

When he finally broke away, breathing ragged, he told her, "You are one hell of a kisser."

Her breathing equally heavy, she replied, "So are you."

And then, both minds and bodies working seemingly in synch, they reached for each other again.


	15. Sakura & Sasuke, Art

**Alright, this is kinda important, so read it.**

**School's starting soon, and I have a number of other projects I want to start. Meaning, TDB is – while not quite coming to an end – dying down a bit. All the requests I have waiting will be finished, hopefully before school starts. After those, TDB will have to take a backseat to… well, everything else.**

**Give me an interesting request, and I may take it: if so, I'll PM you. Because I really have to stop taking every one that comes my way.**

For **aNdreaa**, whom I love for her NC-thing. Link's in my bio!  
**Pairing:** SasuSaku  
**Word count: **773  
**Prompt:** He teaches her to be a little more blunt. She teaches him to be a little more polite.  
**Notes: **Sorry, this probably isn't what you were expecting. x.x

"Well," Sakura began hesitantly, "It's… interesting."

"Translation," Sasuke deadpanned, "It sucks."

Naruto scowled, holding up his latest painting for his best friends to comment on. He looked down at it.

Sure it was a bit… strange, but it was abstract! Abstract paintings were always kind of different!

"You just don't understand art," he told Sasuke.

"And you don't understand the proper use of a paintbrush, evidently," Sasuke deadpanned. Sakura smacked him on the arm. "What?" he said defensively. "It looks like something a two-year-old made!"

"Sasuke-kun!"

"You're thinking it too, Sakura," he pointed out. "You just don't want to hurt Naruto's feelings."

"Hey! Naruto's standing right here!" the outraged blond reminded them.

"Quiet, idiot."

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura began prissily, "What are you going to do when you have kids? Tell them that their art sucks when they draw you something?"

"They'll be Uchiha. Nothing they do will suck."

"_Sasuke._"

Sasuke suppressed a grin. "Well, I'll just hand them off to you," he said nonchalantly. Sakura reddened at the implied meaning of his words. "Besides, _you're_ too much of a wimp to be honest."

"Am not!"

"_Gee, Naruto, your piece of crap sure is interesting,_" Sasuke said, imitating her dryly.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled.

"I don't sound like that," she said indignantly, ignoring the blond. "Just because I'm not _mean_ doesn't mean I'm a wimp! _Or _a liar!"

"I'm not mean, I'm _blunt_," Sasuke told her. "And you are most definitely a lying coward."

"How about this," Naruto cut in. "I'll bring another painting tomorrow. Sakura will take Sasuke's approach. Sasuke will try Sakura's."

"I can't be a coward," Sasuke mused, eyes flashing with amusement at Sakura's expression. "But sure. I like to prove myself right."

"Ugh!" Sakura growled, finally fed up as she stormed away.

--

The next day, Team Seven once again met up at the bridge. Sasuke was first, but Sakura and Naruto soon followed, the latter holding a large white canvas under his arm.

"Aright," Naruto announced, "Prepare to be amazed!"

Sasuke snorted. Sakura elbowed him roughly.

"Now, before you say anything, remember that Naruto has feelings," she hissed.

"And _you_ remember that Naruto will get over it," he muttered back.

"Would you two shut up and look?" Naruto grumbled, irritated about being ignored for so long. What was he going to do when they started going out (which would happen soon, for sure)?

"Sorry, Naruto," Sakura apologized, smiling guiltily. Beside her, Sasuke rolled his eyes. She was such a pushover.

"It's alright, Sakura-chan," Naruto said. He could never stay mad at Sakura for too long. Sasuke, on the other hand… Well, he glared at his raven-haired best friend, just to get the point across.

Sasuke rolled his eyes again. Why were his friends so weird?

"Show us the picture already," he snapped.

"Geez, no need to unleash your PMS on me. Here." Naruto flipped over the canvas so they could clearly see the picture.

_It's a blob_, was Sasuke's first thought, and he wasn't too far off the mark. It was comprised of a lot of colors: blues and greens and black and red and even pink.

_What a girl_, was his second thought.

Beside him, Sakura observed the picture carefully. Her thoughts were rather similar to Sasuke's; she couldn't figure out what the painting was supposed to be of, but she didn't want to hurt Naruto's feelings.

She opened her mouth to comment. And caught Sasuke's mocking gaze.

The breath _whoosh_ed out of her and she stopped to consider her words. "It's… Well, I'm not too sure what it's supposed to _be_, if anything," she said apologetically.

"Fair enough," Naruto said with a shrug. "What about you, loser?"

"Watch who you call a loser, loser," Sasuke said, sneering. He appraised the painting thoughtfully once more. "You use a lot of color, which is interesting enough. But I don't know what it's supposed to be, either."

Naruto grinned. "That was hard to say, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"So what was it of? Anything in particular?" Sakura asked, bending closer.

"Well, it was supposed to be you and Sasuke making Uchiha brats…"

"Ew!" Sakura shrieked, leaping away from the painting. Then her eyes filled with burning rage. "What the hell, Naruto? What kind of crap are you drawing, you pervert!"

Naruto took off, shouting apologies in between laughs, and Sakura gave chase, shaking her fists and screaming obscenities.

Sasuke picked the painting up from where Naruto had dropped it. He regarded it for a moment, his hand under his chin. Then he nodded, tucked it under his arm, and headed back to his apartment.

He quite liked the painting now, actually.


	16. Sai & Sakura, Kiss

**For Hanoo  
****Pairing: **SaiSaku  
**Word count: **724  
**Prompt: **"The art in an extraordinary kiss," Sensations  
**Notes:** Iffy about the ending. Tell me how I did with Sai's character, yes?  
Thanks for 200 reviews, guys. You rock.

Sakura didn't see anything wrong with taking Sai to the art gallery visiting Konoha. He liked art, after all, and she never really did anything with him when Naruto wasn't around.

But he was on a date with Hinata, so she figured, why not?

Well, she would soon find out.

"They're kissing," Sakura said.

Sai looked carefully at the picture. "That's kissing? Done between two people who harbor romantic feelings for one another?" When Sakura nodded, he said, "I always imagined it to be… nicer."

"Nicer?" she echoed, cocking her head to the side to scrutinize the painting.

"Yes." He nodded. "Look, they look so sad. The woman is crying."

It was true, she realized. The woman was crying as she clutched at the man's shoulders, and the man's face was wrought with grief. But the painting was called _Sweetest Sorrow,_ after all.

"Well, that's because they have to leave each other," she explained. "And they love each other too much to want to live without the other. So their kiss is a way to say good-bye."

"Oh, I see." Sai looked at her carefully. "Did the traitor kiss you like that when he left?"

She smiled sadly, wistfully. Sasuke had knocked her out and left her on a bench. There had been no affection in the way he hit the nerve in her neck or set her on the closest seat he could find. That just wasn't Sasuke.

"No," she answered softly. "He didn't."

"Do you wish he did?"

"No," she replied at once. If he had kissed her, she wouldn't have let him go.

"Do you not like to be kissed?"

"What's with all the questions?"

Sai shrugged. "I'm curious."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Kissing is alright for some people, not so much for others," she answered evasively, heading to the next painting, one with squares and circles. She squinted at it. It was called _Pink Elephant_. She couldn't see why.

"Have you ever been kissed?" Sai pressed. He seemed oddly fixated on the subject.

"No."

"Neither have I. may I kiss you?"

--

The problem with Sai was, he was so rude and foulmouthed that Sakura often forgot how hopelessly naïve he was. He didn't understand that you couldn't just ask any girl – even one you knew so well – if you could kiss her. It just didn't _work that way_.

"Did I offend you?" he asked.

Considering she had stormed out of the museum, red-faced and muttering to herself, she would think that'd be obvious. Still, she snarled, "Yeah, you did!"

"I'm sorry," he said pleasantly. "I didn't mean to."

Still raging to cover her embarrassment, Sakura snapped, "Well, you did!"

"You said that already," Sai pointed out.

"Argh!" Sakura roared, throwing her hands up in exasperation. A number of civilian across the road stopped to look at her. "WHAT?!" she shouted. They looked away quickly, muttering to themselves.

Sai's smile broadened the slightest bit, but Sakura didn't seem to notice. "You should learn to control your temper better," he commented idly.

She waved her fist threateningly. "Shut it." But then the anger seemed to go out of her and she deflated, her shoulder slumping. "Sai, why do you want to kiss me?" She didn't let him answer. "Because no one else has wanted to." She turned away, bringing a hand up to her face. "_He _didn't," she whispered, more to herself than him. Still, he replied.

"Because I have good taste." Sai smiled, cocking his head to the side. "The traitor prefers old men and Naruto lacks balls, so…"

Sakura choked out a laugh. "You're an idiot, Sai," she informed him.

Sai shrugged. "So will you kiss me now?"

Sakura smiled. Leaned in. closed her eyes.

Sai followed her lead, figuring she would know better than him.

---

The next day found Sai in the hospital, Sakura acting as his doctor.

"Wow, Sai," she said in mock-concern. "That's a nasty bruise. What did you do, walk into a wall?"

It hurt to smile, so Sai said evenly, "Offended a—" Sakura's hand twitched in anticipation, so Sai changed track, "Very pretty girl."

---

Sakura left ten minutes later, smiling to herself. In the room, Sai brought a finger to his lips thoughtfully.

Kissing really wasn't so bad. He wondered if the hag would be willing to do it more often.


	17. Team Seven, giftwrap

For **ohwhatsherface**, who rocks like a pebble.  
**Characters: **Team seven  
**Word count: **540  
**Prompt: **trying and failing to properly wrap a present  
Merry Christmas, everyone!

"And tie the bow like this…voila!" Sakura tied off the red bow on her gift with a flourish, holding it up proudly for all her teammates to see.

"Like this, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, gesturing to his own box, vividly orange and finished off with a sloppily-tied black bow.

Sakura reached over to adjust the corners, nodding in satisfaction. "A bit messy, but pretty good for a first try," she praised. Naruto beamed happily.

She turned to Kakashi, ready to tell him off for not once setting down his book during her impromptu lesson, but he cut her off, holding up with one hand a small, neatly-wrapped blue box.

"Is this fine, Sakura?" he asked, not looking up from his book but sounding very amused.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I'm not even going to ask," she huffed, already looking towards Sasuke-kun.

Because Sasuke was, in a word, _perfect_, she expected his to be much better than Naruto's, even though, like Kakashi, he hadn't been paying much attention. Eagerly, she looked at his hands for the box he held, wrapped in traditional red and green… and then she stopped.

"Um, Sasuke-kun?" she began tentatively, while Naruto and Kakashi looked on, trying (or, at least Kakashi was) to smother their chuckles. "Do you need some help?"

Sasuke grunted, looking disgruntled (and not a bit embarrassed), and allowed Sakura to reach over and pluck the stray pieces of tape from his fingers and untangle the ribbons from his hair. She was gentle, and she was sweet, but there was no mistaking the glint in her green eyes.

She was laughing! Sakura! _Sakura was laughing at _him.

He had no time to be indignant however, as Naruto was already scooting over closer to them and taking the badly-wrapped present from Sasuke's hands.

"Man, this is worse than mine," Naruto snickered.

And indeed it was. The corners stuck out at odd angles, the wrapping paper was cut too small to cover the present, the bow was tied too loose, and the entire thing was covered in tape.

"Hn," Sasuke said, because… well, what else could he say?

"Oh, it's not that bad," Sakura was quick to say.

"Sorry Sakura, but yes it is," Kakashi cut in. Sakura glared at him, putting a protective hand on Sasuke's shoulder. As if the humiliation hadn't been bad enough.

"It's _fine_," she insisted, taking the present from Naruto and smacking him on the shoulder for laughing at her precious Sasuke-kun. "We can fix it."

She unwrapped the present carefully, and when it was done, she placed the box on a fresh sheet of wrapping paper – this time the right size.

"Now, Sasuke-kun," she began. "Listen very carefully."

"Why don't you do what I did?" Kakashi suggested, leaning over as Sakura searched for the tape. It was in Naruto's pocket, but she hadn't noticed his wide, impish grin yet.

"…Which was?" Sasuke asked, reluctant as he was to accept advice from Kakashi.

Kakashi tapped his headband. "Use your Sharingan."

Sasuke felt only slightly like an idiot as he complied.

But it was worth it the next morning when his presents, all beautifully-wrapped and addressed to Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, were added to the pile underneath their shared tree in Sakura's apartment.


	18. Naruto & Mikoto, Battle Cry

For **–bell.esque**, who is obviously a bit disturbed XD  
**Pairing:** Naruto/Mikoto (told you!)  
**Word count: **838  
**Prompts:** Mention Sasuke as much as possible, present-tense, laser guns, "Do you know how to _aim?_"  
**Notes: **I forgot to say this before, but this is an AU. Okay, _duh_.  
No _way! _Annie can write something that _isn't _humor?  
But really, I love a challenge, so feel free to request crazy things like this. Be as specific as you'd like, and don't be afraid to give me weird pairings. I might make fun of you for it, but I _love _crack-pairings more than I love writing regular, boring pairings.

-x-

Uzumaki Naruto doesn't play around. These are desperate times, and he knows better than to risk screw-ups.

She's a little woman. She's older than him in appearance, but she has a long way to go to reach his level. Her hands shake, her entire body trembles. She lets go of the gun to wipe her hands on her pants, leaving dark spots on the grey fabric.

"Hey," he calls out.

She whips around, scrambling to point the gun at him. Before she can so much as think to pull the trigger, he is in front of her, one hand covering the mouth of the barrel. He leans forward, bright blue scrutinizing pale skin and dark eyes.

She looks familiar.

"Do you know how to _aim_?" he wants to know.

She gulps, trying to tug her gun from his grip. It's in vain; it takes an entire group of qualified, highly-trained Anbu to take him down on a weak day; this little slip of a woman can't hope to so much as budge him one inch. The thought makes him frown harder.

"Why are you here?"

_Here _is the battlefield, _here _is the war zone, _here _is littered with dead bodies and fallen comrades, like pink-haired Healers and red-eyed Arsonists—

Naruto takes another look at the woman. She hasn't moved, she hasn't looked away, her expression remains stony.

Her expression is one of numbness. The numbness that comes from tragedy.

"What is your name?" Naruto demands. The woman quivers, but does not reply. Naruto reaches out to grip her by the collar, his eyes glowing with fire-hot red fury. "Answer me!"

And her lips tremble, her mouth opens, and she stammers the words that break him:

"Uchiha Mikoto."

-x-

He's too young, Mikoto thinks. Only in his late teens and already a hardened soldier with angry eyes and cruel words, so much like…

Her breath catches in her throat when she thinks of her little boy, ripped apart in battle to save a country already lost.

She whispers her name, the almost foreign identity slipping awkwardly from her mouth. Once upon a time, Uchiha meant something. But that, too, has been taken from her, leaving her bare and insignificant. Just another gunman, out to avenge a forgotten name.

The blond freezes, he drops her, he repeats, "Uchiha… Mikoto?" as if it's something to remember. His eyes are wide and blue, so blue, like the streams that used to run around the village. There was a river behind her home.

Sasuke used to like to skip rocks in that river.

Mikoto breathes raggedly, massaging her throat where the collar of her uniform dug into it. Dropping her eyes from the too-young, too-strong boy in front of her, she picks up the laser gun. It's cold and heavy in her palm, and she balances it there for a moment, before she curls her fingers around it, cocks it, and, hand quivering, points it at the young man before her.

"Who are you?" she rasps. She doesn't fool herself into believing she's a match for him, but she would be a traitor to her country if she didn't try to do something.

The blond's blue eyes gleam, and she remembers the red, the burning, scalding, hateful red.

"Uzumaki Naruto. I knew your son."

The gun falls from Mikoto's loose grip, hitting the rough earth. It nearly fires off a blast, but Naruto is there, Naruto covers the barrel, and the hole in his hand is only a hole for a second before it heals over.

This is Naruto. The Uzumaki. The Alpha. Gifted with a nearly demonic power, he took over Konoha. He rules now. He looks as young as her son did, but he isn't. He's hundreds of years old, and, Mikoto knows, he's going to kill her. But she can't bring herself to care.

"He talked about you a lot," Naruto goes on softly, looking down at her. Mikoto curls her hands into fists, the nails boring into her palms. She doesn't want to hear this, doesn't want to—

"How did you know him?" she asks, voice barely above a whisper. She's afraid to know the answer – how else could the enemy know her son?

"He saved my life," Naruto says flatly. He looks around, sees the pinpricks moving towards them, miles off still, hears the shouts and gunshots, smells the acid. He holds out a hand to her. "And it's time I repaid my debt. Come."

Mikoto tugs at her hair. Her Sasuke—gone. This boy—a robot. An engineer of death, beckoning to her. She doesn't want to obey, doesn't want to fall for too-blue eyes.

"Sasuke loved you," Naruto says. And then he lifts her up, into his arms, and before she can think to scream, he starts to run, blindingly fast, because he is a man true to his word, and once he made a promise to protect a friend's most precious person.

And he will protect her as if she was _his _most precious person.


	19. Naruto & Ino, Try Me

For **the blanket** (who I miss very much)  
**Pairing:** NaruIno, SasuSaku  
**Word count:** 1,232  
**Prompts:** Sexy no Jutsu Naruto, a bar, and some sort of competition between the two.  
**Notes: **I'm more than a little uncertain about this, but I still enjoyed it, and so, here you go. It's _practice.  
_And yeah, I'm still eager for crazy, specific, or both requests. Bring it. I dare you.

Electrifying, the sizzle of energy, burning, pounding, _thrilling_ her body, her mind, her very soul.

A ninja needed to know how to relax, to throw themselves into the moment, to let everything go, and just live before it was too late. Ino planned on doing just that.

Sakura sat beside her at the bar, not exactly the party-girl type. She looked around warily, hands enveloped around a tall glass of something murky and red.

There was music thumping in the background, behind the murmurs. Some people danced, but that wasn't the main attraction of this night.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Ino's gaze was fixed to the center of the room, a heated drinking contest between Chouji and Genma. Her loyalties lay with Chouji, but seeing that warm liquid slide down the glass and through the lips of one of the most _divine _men she had ever had the fortune to work with made her pump her fists wildly when her teammate slumped over.

The bar erupted with noise. Competition was heavy in the air, the true mark of a ninja.

Sakura looked amused, sipping at her drink, and Ino pressed close so she could hear her over the din. "You want to try?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Naruto and Sasuke would eat me alive."

Ino snorted inelegantly, already tipsy. Sakura reached out an arm to steady her blonde best friend, not missing the looks she received. Ino was beautiful, no doubt.

"Like either of them would be at a place like _this_," she said, gesturing around the crowded bar, the dim lighting, the sweaty, rowdy bodies.

Sakura didn't answer, merely set her glass down. "I need some air. Will you be alright for a few minutes?"

Ino waved her off, already losing interest. With a groan, Sakura looked around, desperate to find someone responsible.

"I'll watch her," said a voice in her ear. A voice Sakura knew, one that made her freeze, because if he was here, then—

"Go outside," Naruto said, patting her on the back.

Sakura never thought to look back as she slipped off her bar stool.

"Any takers?" Genma called out, leaning back confidently in his seat.

"Just one," breathed a very feminine voice, belonging to a very feminine woman.

Ino narrowed her eyes as the jaws of every male in the vicinity dropped. She was blonde, she was blue-eyed, she was beautiful – but she wasn't Ino.

"Sure you can handle it?" Genma asked cheekily.

She winked. "I think so," she said in that same breathy, sensual voice. And then she sat down, tossed a blonde pigtail over her shoulder, and picked up a glass. "But take it easy one me, won't you?" She pouted for good measure.

Ino rolled her eyes, the jealousy kicking in.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, careful to not step too close, even though it was cold outside and her arms were bare and he looked so warm.

"Naruto dragged me here," was Sasuke's nonchalant reply.

"Oh."

"Do you want to come in?" Sakura asked, unsure of just how to talk to him lately. The uncertainty was agonizing, but she had brought it on herself, no matter what Ino said.

"No."

"Okay." It was really cold, and Sakura wrapped her arms about herself, shivering. "Well, I'm going to go back inside." And she turned away from him, feeling his eyes boring into her back.

"Sakura."

She stiffened, legs feeling like they were about to give way. He had said her name that way that night, and then she had screwed up. Royally.

"Yeah?" She didn't turn around.

She didn't even feel him come up behind her before she was in his arms again and he was kissing her like she had done not so long ago.

* * *

Stunned silence struck the bar for the first time all night before cheers erupted, louder than before.

"We have a new champ!" a gruff-looking Jounin shouted. Blonde and Perky fluttered her eyelashes. Ino mimed gagging.

And of course, that was when blue eyes met each other.

"Hey, isn't that Uchiha Sasuke kissing Haruno Sakura?" she giggled, pointing to the window, though she didn't shift her gaze from Ino's.

Ninja were notoriously nosey, so while they collectively turned to the windows lining the bar, the blonde stepped forward, vanishing before Ino's eyes to leave something like a blond Adonis before her.

"Hey, Ino," Naruto said, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Ino gaped at him. "You—I—_what_?" she sputtered. Then she reached up to rub her temples. "God, I've had too much to drink…"

Then Naruto was beside her, rubbing her back soothingly and ordering a glass of waiter. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously, and Ino resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him, he who could be a beautiful busty blonde bombshell one moment and a clueless-but-hot _kid _the next.

But she took the water, sipped from it, left a smear of lip gloss on the rim. "What are you doing here?" she asked him, running a manicured finger over her lower lip to try and even out the smudge she had already forgotten about. Naruto watched, the ruby-red polish dancing over glossy lips. Ino was almost like a doll, so perfectly made up and built.

"Having fun," Naruto told her, leaning against the bar and watching her lazily. "Sasuke wanted to come."

"Becoming a girl is your idea of fun?" Ino asked skeptically." Naruto laughed.

"No. winning is." He reached over to pick up her water, and took a long sip. Ino furrowed her brow, unsure of whether she was supposed to be angry.

"That, and annoying you," he added, setting down the empty glass. When Ino huffed, his eyes lit up. "I know you were jealous of me out there."

"Please," she scoffed.

"It's cool, Ino. You hate being second-best, and I was the hottest thing out there."

_Was? _said her muddled mind. "I could out-hot you any day," she challenged.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Could you _really?"_

And then he vanished, only to be replaced by Naruko, without the usual customary clouds of smoke. "I've been practicing," he explained, settling down again and crossing one leg over the other.

Ino snorted. "Oh, I _am _impressed," she said sarcastically, glancing around the bar—

—only to find nearly every male in the vicinity watching the blonde beside her. Ino swiveled around to face Naruko, jaw hanging open in disbelief. _She _giggled, one finger caught in her mouth.

Ino narrowed her eyes. It was _on_.

She let her hair down, the rubber snapping easily to let golden locks cascade down her back. She bunched it all up to one side, tied it again in a loose, very messy up-do, and fanned herself.

"I was getting hot," she said by way of explanation to all the eyes on her figure, leaning back and crossing one ankle over the other, letting her sandal dangle carelessly from her foot.

When everyone looked away and she glanced to her right, Naruto was back, looking impressed.

"I play off of foot fetishes," she said mildly.

"I'll keep that in mind." He smiled. "You win _this _time. Definitely hotter than me."

"I'll be happy to kick your butt again any time," Ino said, trying to ignore how her stomach twisted at his words.

Naruto winked at her. "I look forward to it. Ever played Strip Poker?"


	20. Space Songs

For** AGENT JAZZ** (aka **allurement**)  
**Pairing: **BWAHAHA READ IT  
**Word count: **889  
**Prompts: **musical on drugs, Star Wars  
**Notes: **I promise I don't always write like this. Don't take it seriously, it is crack! Worse, Annie-crack. So it makes no sense.  
Also, with the potential to be continued. Y/Y?  
Music is not mine. I disclaim!

-x-

"_We're soaring, flying. There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach_," Sakura sang, her melodic voice very melodic.

Naruto was in awe. Beside him, Sasuke was similarly dumbfounded.

"I didn't know you could sing," he said, gaze _smoldering_. Sakura smiled prettily, gaze dropping to her hands modestly. Hinata would have been proud.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Sasuke-kun. Such as…" Sakura spun suddenly, ripping off her training outfit to reveal something black, leather, and vaguely cat-suit-like. Sasuke's eyes bugged out. Naruto fell over.

Out of nowhere, a beat struck up, and Sakura started to tap her foot, tossing her head from side to side, before she opened her suddenly lip-lined mouth:

"_I'm Sakuralicious (so delicious)  
My body stayin' vicious  
I be up in the gym just working on my fitness  
He's my witness  
I put yo' boy on rock, rock  
And he be lining down the block just to watch what I got."_

When she was finished, arms and legs spread in an awkward pose, all of Konoha had gathered and started clapping. Lee in particular, was very enthusiastic. Indeed, a waterfall of tears was cascading down his face.

"My youthful blossom! I did not know you were so talented. And with that, he took a breath.

"_I shouldn't love you but I want to  
I just can't turn away  
I shouldn't see you but I can't move  
I can't look away."_

"Oh, _Lee_," Sakura breathed, struck by the pure, raw emotion in his voice. She wavered, lips quivering in anticipation of the bitter rejection she would have to bestow. But what could she do? Lee was not the one she wanted, she despaired, turning away to press one hand to her heart and the other to her mouth, closing her eyes against the crystalline tears threatening to fall.

She began to walk away, and all twenty villagers of Konoha looked on, feeling for the poor girl who could not love. Naruto was starting to sit up, nudging Sasuke out of his very long stupor, and they made to follow her – when a masked figure appeared!

And no, it wasn't Kakashi.

This figure was tall, with serious blue eyes and when he spoke, he spoke with a rich baritone that made the girls – i.e., Tenten, Hinata, and Ino – swoon. Sakura didn't, because she couldn't hear him when he said, "Let me go."

And also because she couldn't bear to love again.

"_Wise men say only fools rush in  
but I can't help falling in love with you  
Shall I stay  
would it be a sin  
If I can't help falling in love with you"_

Sakura gasped, the sound catching in her throat, as she turned to face the nameless stranger with the faceless voice. She couldn't see him, but she knew that she was already in love. _This _was what she had been waiting for. Music that sent her nerves tingling, her heart thrumming, her blood rushing.

"_Like a river flows surely to the sea  
Darling so it goes  
some things are meant to be  
take my hand, take my whole life too  
for I can't help falling in love with you," _she sang tentatively, voice rising and falling as she took a tentative step forward. The singing stranger did the same, the two of them moving to a tune only they could hear until they were mere feet away.

The stranger reached up to his mask, inching it down as he sang. _"Like a river flows surely to the sea  
Darling so it goes  
some things are meant to be  
take my hand, take my whole life too  
for I can't help falling in love with you  
for I can't help falling in love with you"  
_  
when his mask was down, Sakura was struck by the familiarity of his gentle smile, serene eyes, vibrant hair. "Who are you?" she breathed.

The village of Konoha – minus Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura – gasped in unison.

"You!" Tsunade screeched. "Aren't you _dead_?"

But the new blond ignored her, instead staring down at Sakura so tenderly, so lovingly. He reached out a hand to cup her cheek, and she all but fell into the touch.

"_I'm over my head_," he hummed. And then he swooped down to catch her lips in such an electrifying kiss, she thought she might explode.

It was only when they pulled away – though reluctantly – after a seven-minute kiss that Naruto yelped, "Hey, creep! Get your hands off Sakura-chan and tell me who the hell you are!"

Sakura's heart broke further at Naruto's rejection of her love. But the stranger remained calm, turning slowly on the spot to say:

"Naruto. I am your father."

Naruto, shocked, dropped to his knees. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" he howled, believing a stranger's words.

And then a building exploded. Minato cursed, Sakura screamed, and ninja fled from fear.

Only Sasuke remained standing, watching Sakura, before he turned to walk into the sunset, whispering to himself, _"What hurts the most, is being so close. And having so much to say…"_

Except buildings were still exploding, and Sakura couldn't think about her once love right now, nor about Naruto, still sunk on the floor in the fetal position. Because she had to save the planet.

Oh, and Minato had discovered a way inside the tight black leather and—oh.

_Oh_.


	21. Sakura & Kakashi, Sensei's Grasshopper

For **Zelha  
****Pairing: **KakaSaku  
**Word count: **374  
**Prompt: **Sakura being more late than him.  
**Notes: **I'm not entirely pleased with this one. Actually, not at all. But i guess at least it makes more sense than the last one…  
And by the way, about that. I DON'T TAKE DRUGS. DRUGS ARE BAD FOR YOU.

-x-

When Sakura started arriving later and later for training, Naruto thought nothing of it. She looked tired and bedraggled, but she _was _working hard at the hospital. It was all probably catching up to her.

Regardless, when he saw her arrive with her hair all over the place, clothes rumpled, and angry red marks over her collarbone, he had to comment. "You look like hell, Sakura-chan. Who attacked you?"

She turned red and started yelling at him, and Naruto had to wonder why she was so angry at him. And when Kakashi-sensei arrived, she turned her rage on him too, yelling obscenities about how guys had it easy.

Poor Naruto was _very _confused.

The next day, Sakura was over two hours late, and he was left with only Sai for company until Kakashi arrived, and Naruto gaped.

"What happened to _you?"_

Kakashi's mask was lopsided, his vest missing, and his hair tangled, but he just smiled and said, "You see, Naruto, when a man and a woman love each other very much…"

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Ew. Who would even like you? You're a pervert."

"It turns some women on." Kakashi's eyes gleamed. "Speaking of, where's Sakura?"

As if on cue, she arrived with a flourish, tossing back her neatly brushed hair. She looked refreshed and energized today, for the first time in months, and Naruto smiled at her.

"Got some sleep, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura nodded. "And a good shower. I _finally had time_," she added meaningfully. Naruto didn't get it. She looked at Kakashi in exaggerated surprise. "Wow, Kakashi-_sensei_. What happened to _you?"_

"Nothing too exciting," Kakashi said offhandedly. Sakura's smile dropped.

"Okay, training time!" She cracked her knuckles forebodingly. "Who's first?"

Naruto pushed Sai forward. He just smiled, because that was what Sai did. As he walked over to Sakura, he said, voice ringing out clearly through the training guards,

"So. Who 'tops'?"

Poor Naruto still didn't get it. At least, not until, at the end of the day, he heard Kakashi whisper to Sakura,

"This time, why don't we take a shower together? Save some time."

And she replied, "Go screw yourself, Kakashi."

Naruto almost fainted dead away when Kakashi said, "Why bother when I have you to do it for me?"


	22. Shikamaru & Sakura, Proxy

For **Pina  
****Pairing: **ShikaSaku, SasuSaku  
**Word count: **968  
**Prompt: **"I know you well enough to know you never loved me."  
**Notes: **Done for Anne and Pina's boot camp. Occasionally, these girls are pretty useful.

-x-

When Sasuke leaves, Ino worries, but she is too nervous to try and make amends just yet – so she tells Shikamaru to do it for her.

So he sighs, rolls his eyes, shuffles to Haruno's house, and sees her walk out onto the balcony.

She doesn't see him, and he watches her for a moment. She looks exhausted, disoriented, but her hands are clasped to her chest, right over her heart, and he feels for her, so he interrupts whatever world she's lost in, because it can't be a good one.

"Oi," he calls up, bringing up a hand to shade his eyes from the sun. "We'll get him back. Cheer up, woman."

Sakura just smiles.

-x-

He comes back and he's failed, but Naruto takes the blame, and Sakura stays silent. She stares out the window, and Shikamaru stares at her. Naruto can't see the way she struggles for composure, the way her eyes glass over, the way her hope shatters, but Shikamaru can.

He catches up to her in the hall later, thanks her for not blaming Naruto.

"I messed up," he admits.

She shifts her weight to the right, cocks her head curiously, and says, "It's hard to change Sasuke's mind when he's set on something. Believe me." She smiles sadly. "I would know." Then she shrugs, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and dropping her gaze to the ground for a moment. "It's not your fault."

Thinking back on her smile before he left, Shikamaru wonders if she knew what they didn't, and he wonders how it feels, to hope against hope.

-x-

Every time she learns news about Sasuke, Shikamaru sees the way she changes. Smiles of anticipation prior, shattered despair after, soon shifting into a determined fury.

Ino has finally reconciled with her, and she drags her best friend along to Team 10 meetings.

Every time Ino laughs, or Asuma treats them, Shikamaru notices Sakura's gaze fall to hands, which clench into fists, and he wonders if anyone else notices how much she misses her own team.

He walks her home one night, asks her why she doesn't just tell Ino how she feels.

Sakura fiddles with her gloves. "Being part of any team is a nice feeling. They're like family, you know?"

Too late, Shikamaru realizes that her voice sounds hollow, and it's because she's crying. Kakashi isn't there to ruffle her hair, Sasuke isn't there to make a comfortingly sarcastic comment, and Naruto isn't there to hold her.

She only has Shikamaru, so he reaches out and takes her hand.

-x-

When they are at his favorite cloud-watching spot, where she is showing up more and more, she tells him, "Naruto is coming back."

Her eyes are bright with eagerness, and Shikamaru has to smile. She hasn't looked this alive since—well, since Sasuke left.

He wonders how she'll act when—if—he comes back.

"Maybe you'll leave me alone now?" he asks, too hopefully, and Sakura smacks him on the shoulder.

"Whatever, you know you love the attention." She laughs, and Shikamaru remembers a time when that sound had become so rare. He wonders when she started doing it again, then thinks, _Since she started cloud-watching._

He chalks it up the miracle of napping.

-x-

Sakura looks alive when he sees her in Ichiraku, sitting in between Sai and Naruto and Yamato. They might not be the original, but they're a team, at least, Shikamaru supposes, and that's what Sakura wanted.

Naruto waves him over, tells him to join them. Sakura smiles from behind him in agreement, so Shikamaru takes a seat.

Later, Naruto and he are headed towards their homes, which are the same way, and the blond turns to him, smiling in thanks.

"I heard that you took care of Sakura. Thanks."

Shikamaru doesn't know what to say.

"I didn't want her to be alone. I'm glad someone was there for her."

"I didn't do anything."

"Oh." Naruto looks surprised. "That's not what she told me."

Shikamaru wonders what she _did _tell him.

-x-

She tells him she loves him, out of the blue one day.

One moment they are lying side by side in the field, the next she confesses.

Shikamaru turns to the side. She isn't looking at him, isn't touching him, and he doesn't know if he should be doing either, so he doesn't. He doesn't reply.

A week later, Sasuke returns.

-x-

The first thing she does is launch herself at him, the same way he knows she's dreamt about doing for the six years he was gone. He is battered and bloodied and bruised, but he hasn't changed much. Same spiky black hair, some annoyed onyx gaze.

When Sakura presses her face into his chest, Sasuke puts a hand on the back of her head, closes his eyes, and tips his face to the sun.

Shikamaru recognizes the gesture. And he also recognizes the way they're holding each other, Sasuke hiding his bloodied side, Sakura keeping her hands feather-light on his chest.

When she pulls away to let Naruto have a turn, looks around, sees Shikamaru, Sakura is regretful.

Shikamaru shrugs. He's watched her for so long, studied her, talked to her, took care of her.

"I know you well enough by now," he tells her, "To know you never loved me."

He touches the inside of her wrist once, smiles in his lazy but true way, and looks over her head.

"You've been waiting for him, right? For _them_." She doesn't seem to realize what she really wants. It's a good thing she has Shikamaru to push her in the right direction. "I'm okay."

He says it again, because she doesn't seem to believe him, and also because his heart didn't seem to hear the first time.

"I'm okay."


	23. Team Seven, IMs

For **the blanket  
****Pairing: **Kakashi x Kurenai, implied SasuSaku because I'm unoriginal. Sob.  
**Word count: **479  
**Prompts: **"There are no words, only emoticons," peeping!Team 7  
**Notes: **Obviously AU. And the main pairing is very much lacking. Sorry, Anne. Also, whatever errors there are are intentional. That or I made a few thousand typos.  
ALSO, I'M BACK.  
-x-

**CherryLips: **I am disturbed. Very disturbed.

**No.1NINJA: **i will never be the same. kakashi-sensei has traumatized me for life. i am now emo lik sasuke.

**Uchiha007: **Screw off.

**CherryLips: **He's right, though. I mean, who knew Kakashi-sensei could do _that_ with his tongue…

**Uchiha007: **Well, he always said he was a man of many talents.

**No.1NINJA: **ewwwww

**CherryLips: **No kidding. Sasuke-kun, give a girl some warning.

**Uchiha007: **Don't read what I just said.

**CherryLips: **The warning comes _before_, Sasuke-kun!

**No.1NINJA: **guys, back to the mattr at hand! i mite need counseling!

**Uchiha007: **You also need a dictionary, apparently.

**CherryLips: **I agree. With both of you. I mean, Kurenai-sensei…

**No.1NINJA: **i'll never b able to pay attn in chem again

**Uchiha007: **So you'll fail. No surprise there.

**CherryLips: **Don't be mean, Sasuke-kun!

**No.1NINJA: **yeah, don't be mean, _sasuke-kun!_

**Uchiha007: **You're lucky Sakura pities you.

**CherryLips: **Down, boys.

**No.1NINJA: **but sakura-chan, he's being meannnnnnnn

**CherryLips: **Shut up. _Now_.

**Uchiha007: **You heard her.

**CherryLips: **Sasuke-kun, I can _feel _your smirk across town. Cut it out.

**No.1NINJA: **ha

**CherryLips: **…

**No.1NINJA: **…

**Uchiha007: **You guys are still thinking about it?

**CherryLips: **DUH! You saw them, they were like…

**No.1NINJA: **something straight out of Kakashi-sensei's pervert book. which i have never read, of course

**Uchiha007: **Of course.

**No.1NINJA: **and those sounds kurenai-sensei was making…

**Uchiha007: **We heard.

**No.1NINJA: **they're prety flexible

**Uchiha007: **Please don't go into detail.

**No.1NINJA: **that kind of thing has to be illegal. there were still people in the halls!

**Uchiha007: **Probably gives Kakashi some twisted sort of thrill.

**No.1NINJA: **and on a desk! ew, what if they've contaminated _mine? _

**Uchiha007: **There are no words, only emoticons.

**No.1NINJA: **yeah, this one: x\

**Uchiha007: **What the hell is that?

**No.1NINJA: **it's a blinded splat-face, stupid

**Uchiha007: **You should change your screenname to No.1MORON.

**No.1NINJA: **ur a bad friend, forsaking me in my time of need! sakura-chan, your boyfriend's mean! hold me!

**No.1NINJA: **sakura-chan?

**No.1NINJA: **SAKURA-CHAN!!

**Uchiha007: **…Sakura?

**No.1NINJA: **i think she's broken. the sight was too much for her virgin eyes

**Uchiha007: **Virgin eyes?

**CherryLips: **SHUT UP SASUKE

**No.1NINJA: **there you are, sakura-chan! what's wrong?

**Uchiha007: **If you must know…

**CherryLips: **SHUT UP

**CherryLips: **Oh, and come over.

**No.1NINJA: **now?

**Uchiha007: **She meant me, dumbass.

**No.1NINJA: **why now?

**CherryLips: **Tutoring.

**No.1NINJA: **ew. for what? sasuke's stupid, i'll help!

**Uchiha007: **You wish.

**CherryLips: **Something we learned today.

**Uchiha007: **I'll be there in five.

**CherryLips: **Yeah, I'll bet you will.

**No.1NINJA: **don't you live like 15 minutes away from her?

**Uchiha007: **Better clear your desk off.

**cherryLips: **You have such a way with words.

**No.1NINJA: **what? r u guys even listening to me?

**Uchiha007: **No.

_Uchiha007 has signed off._

**CherryLips: **Sorry, Naruto. Studying awaits!

_CherryLips has signed off._

**No.1NINJA: **hey!

**No.1NINJA: **i wanna come over too!!

**No.1NINJA: **wut r u guys doing??

**No.1NINJA:** whatever, i'm coming over. dont say i didnt warn u!

* * *

Poor, poor Naruto.


	24. Sasuke & Sakura, Healing Touch

For **Melissax3  
****Pairing: **SasuSaku  
**Word count: **517  
**Prompt: **drunk!Sakura (or basically. I don't wanna type it all out, but something keeps me from leaving it at that, so because I'm crazy, instead I've typed this long note. You can see why everyone I know is slightly afraid of/for me.)  
**Notes: **Straight dialogue because I can. Or rather, I can't; this is practice. Why am I still talking?  
**Next** is a continuation of the last oneshot.

-x-

"Sakura. What are you doing?"

"Sasuke-kun! You can see me?"

"…Considering that you're standing in the middle of the street, yes, I can see you."

"Wow. I would blow as a ninja, huh?"

"…"

"_Phwoo!"_

"Sakura. Stop blowing."

"I stopped, Sasuke-kun!"

"Congratulations."

"Aw, shucks. Thanks, Sasuke-kun. Do I get a kissy?"

"No."

"You're a grumpypants."

"And _you're_ drunk."

"Am not!"

"Are too. Now take my hand before you fall flat on your face."

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, it's kind of like we're on a date, with the moonlight, and you holding my hand and all. Isn't it?"

"No, actually, it isn't."

"Right, 'cause you're hormonally handicapped."

"_Saku—"_

"But I'm not, Sasuke-kun! I think you're _smokin'! _Especially when you're all badass and Anbu-ish."

"…"

"…?"

"Uh, thanks."

"You're welcome! Why are you so dressed up, anyways?"

"I had a mission. Idiot."

"And you didn't let me say goodbye?"

"No."

"Meanie. I can say 'hello,' at least…"

"Sakura. Let go of my shirt."

"Then bend down so I can kiss you!"

"_Sakura_."

"If you're not going to cooperate, stop saying my name so hotly! Way to give a girl mixed signals, Sasuke-kun! God! It's like leaving her on a bench, unconscious, and thanking her!"

"Now you're trying to guilt me."

"Damn right I am! Girl's gotta play dirty to get a response from you, Oh Great Avenging One."

"You talk too much."

"I know one way to shut me up…"

"I am never walking you home again. You're more trouble than you're worth. And stop _giggling_. And walk faster, stupid."

"You're not very romantic, Sasuke-kun. Good thing you're hot and stuff."

"It's more of a blessing than a curse."

"We'd make very pretty babies."

"I thought girls were supposed to play hard to get."

"You like that kind of thing? Okay then. Bye, Sasuke-k—_Sasuke_—oomph!"

"…"

"Sasuke-kun, my knee is bleeding."

"I see that, Sakura. Why don't you heal it?"

"Sasuke-kun, can _you_? Can you kiss it better?"

"What's with the sudden kissing obsession?"

"Not sudden, Sasuke-kun. I've _always _wanted you to kiss me. Or even just hug me or be nice to me, though I'd like it if you loved me. I love you a lot, Sasuke-kun. More than Tsunade-shishou loves sake and more than Kakashi-sensei loves porn, and more than Naruto loves ramen – _combined_."

"…That much, huh?"

"Uh-huh. And I missed you a lot when you were gone. Did you miss me?"

"Hn."

"How much, Sasuke-kun? Did you think of me with every beat of your heart?"

"…I thought of you enough."

"Oh."

"…"

"Sasuke-kun, my knee hurts…_oh!_"

"Come on."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

"Whatever. Don't start crying now."

"Sasuke-kun, your lips are very soft. You should work in the hospital, kiss booboos better – mine is all better! Or actually, no, forget it. I don't want you kissing anyone else."

"Hn."

"Okay, Sasuke-kun? Kiss me only, okay? Sasuke-kun?"

"Sakura."

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"…Shut up."

"Okay, Sasuke-kun!"

"…"

"Hey, Sasuke-kun?"

"_What_."

"I think I scratched my lip, too. It's bleeding, Sasuke-kun. It _hurts_, Sasuke-kun. I think I need your healing touch, _Sasuke-kun_."

"Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop saying my name so hotly."


	25. Team Seven, IMs II

For **the blanket **and **alana124pyro** – and everyone else who wanted it  
**Pairing: **SasuSaku, NaruIno  
**Word count: **624  
**Prompt: **"you remind me of a pop-tart," an orange necktie  
**Notes: **A lot of people asked, so here it is: the continuation of chapter 23. Enjoy!

-x-

**CherryLips: **Naruto?

**Uchiha007: **We _told _you it was just the two of us.

**CherryLips: **Not helping, Sasuke-kun.

**No.1NINJA: **my innocence…

**CherryLips: **Um.

**No.1NINJA: **_gone_

**CherryLips: **Sasuke! Say something!

**Uchiha007: **One day you'll get a girl, too.

**CherryLips: **Right, that helps.

**No.1NINJA: **the images, they're scarring

**No.1NINJA: **why didn't you warn me?!

**Uchiha007: **How?

**No.1NINJA: **how bout a "hey Naruto, dont come by, sakura and me r getting down and dirty"

**CherryLips: **You make it sound so bad.

**No.1NINJA: **it IS bad! ur too young to be… _that…_

**Uchiha007: **Actually it's been going on since she was seventeen.

**CherryLips: **Sasuke!

**Uchiha007: **What?

**No.1NINJA: **ewewew

**No.1NINJA: **btw, sakura-chan, you kinda reminded me of a pop-tart. strawberry. i hope ur happy, i can never eat 1 again

_No.1NINJA has signed off._

**Uchiha007: **A pop-tart, huh?

**CherryLips: **Don't even try it, Sasuke-kun.

_CherryLips has signed off._

_Uchiha007 has signed off._

--

_IN0licious has signed on._

_No.1NINJA has signed on._

**No.1NINJA: **ino! save me!

**IN0licious: **from what, your fashion sense? orange neckties, naruto? _really?_

**No.1NINJA: **very funny. no, bimbo, i meant from your dirty, dirty best friend. and my dirtier one!

**IN0licious: **slow down. what's wrong?

**No.1NINJA: **what's wrong is that I saw more of sasuke than i have ever in my life wanted to. my eyes will never be the same.

**IN0licious: **poor baby. rough way to find out.

**No.1NINJA: **WHAT? you KNEW?

**IN0licious: **um…

**No.1NINJA: **traitor!

**No.1NINJA: **how long hav u known?

**IN0licious: **i'd rather not incriminate myself further

**IN0licious: **in other news, are you done your lab for kurenai-sensei?

**No.1NINJA: **ugh, that stupid lab STARTED this mess!

**IN0licious: **so that's a no?

**No.1NINJA: **so not the point rite now. my brain cant handle chem atm

**IN0licious: **can it ever?

_CherryLips has signed on._

**IN0licious: **oh, what a koinkidink

**No.1NINJA: **DONT ADD HER!!

_CherryLips has entered the chatroom._

**No.1NINJA: **I hate u

**CherryLips: **I SAID I was sorry, Naruto!

**No.1NINJA: **i ment ino

**IN0licious: **um. oops, my bad?

_Uchiha007 has signed on._

**No.1NINJA: **ur gona add him 2, arent u?

**IN0licious: **well, if you insist…

_Uchiha007 has entered the chatroom._

**Uchiha007: **What.

**CherryLips: **Be nice, Sasuke.

**Uchiha007: **What's in it for me?

**CherryLips: **…

**No.1NINJA: **!!

**IN0licious: **can we save the bedroom talk for later? i think naruto's traumatized enough

**No.1NINJA:** damn straight i am!

**CherryLips: **But

**CherryLips:** We didn't

**CherryLips:** …This is really awkward

**Uchiha007**: You think?

**No**.**1NINJA**: imagine how i feel!

**IN0licious**: this is awesome stuff

**No.1NINJA:** how would you like finding ME with your best friend, sakura-chan? what if you saw me with ino like that?

**IN0licious**: WHAT?!

**Uchiha007**: Smooth move. That wasn't obvious AT ALL.

**CherryLips**: Oh man.

**IN0licious**: leave me out of this, naruto!

**Uchiha007**: Ouch.

**No.1NINJA**: i was just tryin to make a point! i didn't mean i'd ever do that with U!

**IN0licious**: WHAT?!

**Uchiha007**: Wow, he just keeps digging himself deeper.

**CherryLips**: This is almost painful to watch.

**No.1NINJA**: THEN Y R U HERE?!

**CherryLips**: We're masochists.

**Uchiha007**: You're more of a sadist.

**No.1NINJA**: NNNNGGGGHHHHHHHHH

**IN0licious**: BACK TO ME. you think i'm fat, dont you?

**No.1NINJA:** what is WRONG with u?

**IN0licious**: my hair is too blonde?

**No.1NINJA: **I'M blond 2!

**Uchiha007**: I have never had this much fun.

**IN0licious**: is it my butt? my chest? my man-shoulders?

**CherryLips**: Excuse me, Sasuke? What about _two hours ago?_

**Uchiha007**: Refresh my memory.

**No.1NINJA: **NGHHHHHHH. TO ALL OF U

**No.1NINJA: **sasuke, sakura, GET A ROOM

**Uchiha007:** You interrupted us last time, remember?

**CherryLips:** Sasuke! We're trying to get him to FORGET that!

**Uchiha007: **Oh, well.

**No.1NINJA:** and ino, ur very hot. plz stop making me think about it

**IN0licious:** really now?

**IN0licious: **stop making you think about WHAT, exactly?

**No.1NINJA**: …

**IN0licious:** hehehe

**CherryLips:** Oh, _gross._

**No.1NINJA: **WELCOME TO MY WORLD


	26. Kakashi & Shizune, Miscommunication

For my darling **Missa**, on her seventeenth! LOVE YOU, MISSAFACE.  
**Pairing: **Kakashi/Shizune  
**Word count: **551  
-x-

"This really isn't fair, Sakura. How could you do this to your sensei?"

"With great pleasure, that's how," Sakura said from her perch on top of him. Kakashi lay on his stomach in the hospital, Sakura settled comfortably on his back. Well, comfortably for _her_.

"Are you putting on weight?"

"Is he always such a sweet-talker?" Shizune asked from somewhere behind him.

"He's just shy. You're making him nervous," Sakura informed her. Shizune laughed, embarrassed.

"Be nice, Sakura. I'm in a vulnerable position right now."

"I'll say," she agreed. "Tsunade-shishou's signed you up for a full exam. We're starting off with a needle."

"Great," Kakashi sighed. He wiggled his arm out from under him. "Let's get this over with."

Sakura cackled. "We plan to. Pants down, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi paled, just as fabric slid down his legs and he felt an uncomfortable breeze. He coughed. "Well, this isn't awkward…"

"I'm not looking!"

He could hear amusement in Shizune's voice. "It'll only be a second." Great. This was even worse. The needle sunk in to his flesh, and Kakashi jumped. "Sorry."

"It's cold," he lied. Shizune took the needle out, pulled his pants back up.

"Well, it's done. Sakura, you can open your eyes." Sakura shifted above him, and patted his head. "I'm proud of you, Kakashi-sensei."

"Thanks," he said drily. She hopped off, and he grunted, sitting up and trying to somehow not put any pressure on his sore rear end. It didn't work.

"Am I done?"

Shizune was gathering supplies, and she smiled over her shoulder. "Not even close. It's examination time. We need to dress your wounds."

"Shirt off, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura sang, bouncing up to sit behind him.

"Are you just trying to undress me? What about Sasuke?"

Sakura mimed gagging. "Gross. He has a way better body. This is for the benefit of the single girls out there." At this, Shizune turned beet red. Kakashi blinked.

"Are you videotaping this? Because it won't sell unless you _do _something. Like in—well, I'll show you. Shizune, come here—"

She looked horrified. "No! I'm just treating you!"

"Duh, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, holding him down at the shoulders. Kakashi couldn't so much as budge against her iron grip. "She'd rip open your wounds again. Just wait 'til you're better!"

"Sakura!" Shizune sputtered. Kakashi had to grin. "What have you _taught _her?"

"It wasn't me!" he protested. "It was probably Naruto!"

"Naruto and _your book,"_ Sakura said innocently. Shizune looked appalled. Kakashi was at a loss.

"Sakura," he said in a low, two-sweet voice, "Don't you know better than to defile your sensei's reputation?"

"What reputation, you old perv?"

"Brat," Kakashi muttered.

Stiffly, Shizune began to unwind his blood-soaked bandages and clean out his wounds. "You should be ashamed, polluting her mind like that. She's just a child!"

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. "Like she doesn't do worse with her boyfriend."

"_Me?" _Sakura gasped. "Shizune-nee-chan, how could he _say _that?"

Shizune gave Kakashi a very dirty look. "_Men_," she scoffed. "They're disgusting, Sakura. Don't listen to him." She smiled warmly at her. "I know better."

Yeah. Right.

Shizune set about to dress his wounds, careful not to touch him too much now, and Kakashi wondered where he went wrong.

Behind him, Sakura was smothering giggles. Right. _That _was where.

God, he hated kids.


	27. Space Songs II

For everyone who liked the first!  
**Pairing:** Minato x Sakura  
**Word**** count**: 693  
**Prompts**: musical on drugs, Star Wars  
**Notes**: I was looking at this again and decided I wanted to continue. There will probably be a third and final part to this, too. Sorry for all these continuations. Also, my use of 'wanna' and 'gonna' aren't cuz I'm lame. They're better fitting for the song.  
Oh, MinaSaku, one day I will do you justice. But until then...

-x-

Minato – and his hands, _goingwayupoh! _– was making her feel the way she never thought she could feel again. After Sasuke broke her heart, she didn't think she could ever so much as look at another man again.

But maybe there was just a shortage of hot guys in Konoha, because—well…

"I wanna give every part of you the attention it deserves," Minato sang in a low voice that made her toes curl, "I wanna take it slow, get you in the mood, because the clock's not gonna turn…" He brought his face very close to Sakura's, and she forgot about the still-screaming villagers, the laser beams shooting out of the sky and, oh, Minato's son wailing in the background. No, that all fell away, because she thought he was going to kiss her again. He opened his mouth, and Inner Sakura cheered ("Hell yes! _Frenching!"_), but he just sang some more, "We've been waiting for a couple of weeks and I know we shouldn't rush. There's no one here but us…"

"Um, but there are," she found it necessary to point out. "Like those guys with the blue skin that are attacking my village." She was quiet for a moment. "Oh, and we haven't even known each other for a couple of weeks. Though I've read about you…. But like. How are you alive?"

"Love," Minato said in his deep, masculine voice, "Makes the world go round." While Sakura blushed – very demurely – he looked her over and added, thoughtfully, "Well, that and leather catsuits."

Behind him, Naruto, overhearing, collapsed again. "Nnnnnggghhhh," he gurgled.

"Is he okay?" Minato asked. Sakura walked over to lean over her teammate. Minato stayed where he was to admire the view.

"You alive, bud?"

"Gack."

"Sounds good to me!" Sakura said brightly. Then she turned to the more pressing concern of the alien arrivals. Oh, and, of course:

"Yo. Why aren't you kissing me?"

Minato raised an eyebrow because one was cooler than raising both and he was so hot. When he first arrived, Sakura was singing in a voice that made his heart break and reach out to her. He wanted to protect this girl he had never seen before, because something told him they were meant to be, for forever and ever. But now, she seemed to need no protection. Now she was being rather bold.

He shrugged off his surprise easily enough, though. Whatever. He got action, so he was cool.

So he gathered her up in his arms and planted one on her. This time it was _her _hands wandering and—whoa. He had totally miscalculated on this one.

But then there was a burst of red light and a voice choked out, "Minato… Sakura…"

To say they were annoyed by the interruption would be an understatement. Sakura pulled away from him with an audible sucking sound, wrapped around him in a hardly decent way. Well, not decent for everyone else. It suited him just fine. Although he hoped Naruto wasn't watching; wasn't he too young for this stuff?

"Shishou!" Sakura gasped, tears suddenly springing to her eyes at the sight of the mighty Godaime sprawled on the ground, head upturned to them. Minato could see down her shirt.

Sakura tried to wrench herself from his grasp, and Minato only held her tighter. He shook his head once, solemnly, and Sakura sobbed into his chest. Minato kissed her tears away lovingly, and soon—they were at it again.

"…Um," Tsunade tried. They didn't even listen to her. She crawled off to find someone useful.

About twelve minutes later, they broke off from their third kiss, and Minato, barely winded because he had super-stamina, said, "I love you. So much." He hummed a tune, and Sakura pressed a finger to his lips. It burned at the touch.

"So do I. I get it," she told him. "You don't have to sing it."

Minato smiled a heartbreaker's smile, only Sakura's heart didn't break. Because it was healed.

"Now let's go save the world, cool?"

"I'm down with that."

And off they gallivanted, into the sunset.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Way to go in the wrong direction!"


	28. Sakura & Sasuke, Awry

For **sasudia  
Pairing: **SasuSaku**  
Prompts: **jealousy, iPods, iced tea**  
Word count: **1228**  
Notes: **Er, sorry for everyone who's been waiting. God, I have requests dating back a _year. _I really, really suck. I am so, so sorry guys. Right now, I have seventeen or so prompts after this – so I'm going to make a very real effort to complete them. I just hope the people who requested them haven't, like, forgotten. So yes. I'm going to ask that you hold any requests you may have, just for a bit, so I can get through these.  
Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS.

-x-

"Tramp," Sakura seethed.

"Hussy," Ino agreed absently, flipping a page in her magazine.

"Whore."

"Skank."

"Psycho-slut."

Ino sighed, propping her chin on one fist, elbow on the picnic table. She stared up with a wry smile at Sakura, sitting on the table, glaring across the small clearing where their group of friends had gathered for the day. Ino didn't have to even turn her head to know what Sasuke and Karin were doing – Sakura offered her the full commentary.

"She's practically draped over him. Disgusting. If Sasuke wasn't so polite, he would push her off."

Ino raised an eyebrow at that. Sasuke was anything _but _polite. She glanced around. Karin sat beside Sasuke, nattering on about… whatever she nattered on about. He was nodding ever so often, but he was wearing his earphones and spinning the wheel of his iPod Nano – in black. What a loser.

Ino smirked. "_Someone's _jealous."

Sakura scowled down at her. "Of course I am! He was supposed to be spending the day with _me_, but how can he with Slutty Mc-Skanks-A-Lot hogging him like that?"

The other eyebrow flew up. "He said he'd spend the day with you? That is so sweet I might cry."

Sakura smiled sheepishly and shrugged, just as Ino knew she would. "Well, not in so many words. He told me he had a song he wanted me to listen to today."

Ino hid a smile. Sakura was book-smart, it was true, but she was an idiot when it came to boys. It was enough to make Ino wonder how she had gotten Sasuke's attention at all. Even now, he was looking their way, but Sakura didn't notice, too busy taking a can of iced tea from the cooler in Kiba's arms. Ino watched with interest as Sasuke glowered their way, much to the annoyance of Karin, who was tugging on his sleeve for his attention.

They were so socially awkward it was hilarious, if not a bit painful to watch.

"Just go say hi to him," Ino said when Sakura turned back to her, cracking open the can. "And dump the drink on Karin while you're at it. Problem solved."

Sakura looked appalled. "Ino! I can't do that! Sasuke will think I'm a total bit—" She stopped abruptly, her mouth still open as she thought over her words. Slowly, her countenance brightened and she stood.

Ino eyed her warily. "What stupid thing are you thinking now?"

Sakura beamed. "I'm gonna get _Karin _to spill my drink on _me_," she said excitedly.

Ino stared at her blankly.

"Then Karin's the evil witch, I'm the poor, innocent victim, and Sasuke will play the role of Prince Charming and whisk me off to get cleaned up! Maybe he'll even give me _his _shirt!" Sakura bounced around a bit, shaking the rickety table. "It's a perfect plan!"

"It's a horrible plan," Ino corrected in her typically blunt fashion. She picked up her magazine and waved a hand. "Have at it."

Sakura didn't need to be told twice. She immediately leapt off the table, sloshing a bit of her drink in the process, and crossed the picnic site, dodging around Naruto and Chouji on her way to where Karin and Sasuke sat alone.

They both looked up as she approached. Karin looked irritated. Sasuke looked… well, much the same as he always did.

Sakura wasn't put off. She smiled sunnily at them. "Hi, guys!"

Sasuke pulled out his earphones. "Hey, Sakura."

Karin scowled. "Hi," she greeted flatly.

"Mind if I sit with you guys?" Without waiting for a response, she plopped down in the narrow space between Karin and Sasuke. She was half in his lap, and he cocked an eyebrow at her. Her elbow was pressing into Karin's ribs, and she batted it away.

"_Yes_, we mind!" Karin hissed. "There's no room!"

"Then why don't you move over?" Sakura asked sweetly, batting her lashes. Karin looked furious, just as Sakura had hoped for.

"I was here first," she snapped.

"And I was here second," she said innocently. In a lower voice she added to Karin: "Also, Sasuke likes me better."

It was exactly the right thing to say to set off temperamental, prone-to-tantrums Karin. Her face twisted into an expression of pure outrage, and she shoved Sakura in the chest…

But Sakura had been expecting a smack on the arm so her drink would spill out of her hand and onto her jeans. Instead, she was knocked back against Sasuke, the can fell from her grip—and right onto Sasuke's shirt.

Sakura stared down, horrified, at the stain spreading on Sasuke's black t-shirt. "Oh, my God," she whispered, chancing a peek at his face. His expression was blank, and when he met her gaze, his eyes were dull.

"Karin," Sasuke said, and Sakura turned to follow his gaze. Karin was smirking. Sakura wanted to slap her.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"Could you get me some napkins?"

"Of course!" she sang, hopping to her feet. She sneered at Sakura, then bounced away, an extra swing in her hips as she left.

Sakura watched her go, miserable. Everything had gone _so wrong. _This just wasn't her day.

"Sakura," Sasuke said after a moment, and Sakura snapped out of her reverie to look at him. He looked faintly amused. "You can get off me now."

Her cheeks flamed when she realized she was still _sitting on him_. What was _wrong _with her?! She slipped off wordlessly, then got ready to make a hasty exit.

"Sakura."

She wouldn't meet his eyes. "Yeah?"

She felt him press something cold into her hand, and looked down. Sasuke's iPod sat in her palm.

"The song I mentioned yesterday?" he prodded when she didn't move. She stared up at him blankly, and he gestured to the iPod. "Listen."

Sakura blinked. "Wha…? What about Karin?"

"She's getting napkins." Sasuke shrugged, and for a split-second, Sakura thought she saw a devious smile flicker across his lips. "I don't know where she'll find them, though. It was Naruto's job to bring them."

And Naruto was hopeless, as Sakura knew all too well. "There aren't any napkins, then?" she wanted to know. she shook her head, exasperated. "Naruto is an idiot."

Sasuke sighed. _"Sakura."_

"So tell Karin! Otherwise that stain will spread and she—"

Sasuke raised a hand to cut her off. "You're stupid," he said, very seriously. Sakura's jaw dropped. "She'll catch on eventually." He didn't look too bothered, only held out his earphones. "Now listen."

Automatically, she slipped an earphone in. Sasuke took the other, leaning his head close to hers. He pressed play, and a soft voice rang into her ears, quickly shifting to louder electric guitar and a steady beat. She listened until the end, Sasuke's arm brushing against hers, and felt warm all over.

Across the picnic site, Ino raised her iced tea in salute to the happy couple.

* * *

In my mind, the song was _Say Anything_, by Marianas Trench. Yeah.


	29. Resolution Confusion

For **Melissax3  
Pairing: **ask someone who can find it.  
**Word count: **850  
**Prompt: **new year's resolutions  
**Notes: **AU. Also, I took this farther than you probably expected, Melissax3. Sorry? :D  
And uh, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Again!

**-x-**

It was 11:59.

Everyone gathered, close together, on the dance floor, to ready themselves for the countdown. The music was still thumping, and Ino and Sakura pressed close together, both swaying from a little too much liquor, singing off-key to _Rockstar_, by Hannah Montana. Watching them were Sasuke, Sakura's ex-boyfriend, and Gaara, a redhead everyone was a little afraid of. Karin was alternating between leering at Sasuke and glaring at Sakura, while Suigetsu was dunking the tips of her hair into a glass of wine without her noticing.

Jugo was drunk, break-dancing on the edge of the floor, getting in the way of Naruto, who was leading a conga line and wearing a party hat. Behind him was Hinata, shy and fumbling with her hands on the hips of her Number One Crush (placed there by Mr. Oblivious himself). Sitting on a table were the three musketeers, Tenten, Neji, and Lee. Tenten sat in the middle, already counting down, Lee sat beside her, staring reproachfully at Neji on her other side, who was sipping at a bottle of alcohol he was sharing with his girlfriend.

Chouji was in the center of it all, holding a slice of chocolate cake protectively to his chest. Shikamaru stood beside him, staring out through half-lidded eyes, yawning every so often and ignoring Sai, who was finding questions to ask about everything and anything.

"If people start the year with kissing, Shikamaru-san, how do they end it?"

"…"

"Ah. Are you a _prude_, then? Forgive me."

Shino was fiddling with the stereo. He lowered the music so the countdown could begin. He looked out at the dance floor, where Kiba was scanning the gyrating women for a good conquest, and Asuma was eyeing Kurenai, who was eyeing Kakashi, who was eyeing Anko, who was eyeing the bar longingly (she had been cut off earlier).

The countdown began.

_10!_

Ino broke away from Sakura, stumbling in her heels to Shikamaru and Chouji, the former of which grabbed her by the elbow, clearly exasperated, to steady her.

_9!_

Sakura looked lost with no one to sing with her. Gaara moved closer to her, catching the attention of Sasuke.

_8!_

When Sasuke moved, Karin moved, and the wine glass was knocked out of Suigetsu's hand.

_7!_

Naruto led the conga line faster and faster, not looking where he was going.

_6!_

Jugo spun to a stop on the edge of the floor, eyes closed from the rising nausea.

_5!_

"Naruto-kun, watch out!" Hinata yelped.

_4!_

Naruto stumbled over Jugo, and everyone but Hinata let go before he tumbled to the floor, littered with shards of glass.

_3!_

Neji jumped to his feet when his cousin screamed, leaving his glass on a nearby table. Anko, seeing this, pounced.

_2!_

Tenten looked around and, not seeing Neji, turned instead to Lee, who was already on his feet and bounding over to Sakura, who was oblivious to the murderous rage heading toward her in the form of Karin.

_1!_

Sasuke and Gaara reached Sakura at the same moment. Karin was right behind them, and she lunged, alcohol-dipped locks flying as she tackled Sakura, who Lee was directly behind, mouth open to wish her. Ino groaned, clutching her head, and staring dazedly at Shikamaru and Sai. Sai smiled pleasantly and moved towards her. Alarmed and for once alert, Shikamaru moved to cut him off. Ino swayed, knocking into Chouji's arm, just as Tenten was passing by.

"_Happy New Year!!"_

Shino pushed his glasses up on his nose and settled down to watch the chaos.

* * *

_Sakura's New Year's Resolutions:  
_1. Never again drink with Ino.  
2. Pay attention to crazy redheads, male _and _female, especially those who want to kiss me.  
3. Stay far, _far _away from Sasuke, and especially from HIS ROOM.

**-x-**

_Sasuke's To-Do List for the New Year:  
_1. Get back together with Sakura.  
2. Kill Gaara.

**-x-**

_Naruto's Resolution for '09:  
_1. Wear gloves when dancing.

**-x-**

_Hyuuga Hinata's New Year's Resolutions for 2009:  
_1. Be a nicer person.  
2. Be more confident.  
3. Talk to Naruto-kun at least once.  
4. Don't faint at the sight of blood.

**-x-**

_Hyuuga Neji's New Year's Resolutions:  
_1. Stop leaving Lee unsupervised.  
2. Stop leaving Hinata unsupervised.  
3. Stop leaving Hinata with Naruto.

**-x-**

_Gaara's New Year's Resolutions:  
_1. Kill Uchiha Sasuke.  
2. Move faster than Uchiha Sasuke.

**-x-**

_Karin's New Year's Resolutions:  
_1. Kill Sakura.  
2. Dye hair pink to pose as Sakura.  
3. Marry Sasuke.  
4. Kill Suigetsu.

**-x-**

_I, Rock Lee, resolve this year to:  
_1. Stay away from Sakura-san.  
2. Watch out for flying hair.

**-x-**

_Chouji's New Year's Resolution:  
_Don't take cake onto a crowded dance floor.

**-x-**

_Ino's New Year's Resolution:  
_Get eyes checked. HOW THE HELL DID I CONFUSE SHIKAMARU AND SAI?

**-x-**

_Shikamaru's Resolution For LIFE:  
_1. Stay away from women.  
2. Stay away from Sai.

**-x-**

_Sai's Resolution for 2009:  
_1. Ask Ino on a date. This is proper after such a display of affection, correct?

**-x-**

_Kiba's Resolution for '09:  
_1. Call up Tenten sometime.

**-x-**

_Shino's 2009 Resolution:  
_Make new friends.

* * *

If it wasn't clear: Sasuke kissed Sakura in front of Gaara, who was interested in her (but too slow), and Karin. Karin tried to tackle Sakura but barely missed, but her hair hit Lee in the face, and he got a few drops of wine and went crazy. Naruto tripped over Jugo and his hands landed on the broken glass of Suigetsu's wine glass, which made Hinata faint. Ino was trashed and kissed Sai instead of Shikamaru, so now Sai thinks she likes him, and when Ino knocked into Chouji, he accidentally smushed his cake into Tenten's chest. Also, Sakura and Sasuke went a little too far, because he's sneaky. And Kiba kissed Tenten. Obviously, not everyone was mentioned, because they're… not important.


	30. Naruto & Ino, Hands

For** Shrouded in the shadows  
Pairing: **Naruto x Ino**  
Word count: **832**  
Prompt:** doors**  
Notes:** I really suck. Why are these taking so long? Again, requests are still closed for a bit.

-x-

"The way I see it, you have three options," Naruto said.

Ino glanced up from he spot huddled under the tree at the edge of the training grounds. She had come to train with Shikamaru and Chouji, but then the former decided he had to go deal with his new fiancée, while the latter hadn't known how to deal with an emotionally unstable Ino. She had sent Chouji off not long after Shikamaru left, so he wouldn't see her cry, report it to their other teammate, and let everyone know what an idiot she was.

Ino swiped at her tear-stained cheeks furiously. "What are _you _doing here?" she demanded. "Did Chouji send you?"

Naruto crouched down in front of her, blindingly bright grin so out of place in her currently bleak world. "No," he said. "I came on my own. Thought you might need a friend."

Ino raised an eyebrow. That was oddly perceptive, for Naruto. She didn't believe him.

His smile turned sheepish at her skeptical look. "Well, that and I came to train and saw you," he added.

Now _that_, she could believe. Ino's cheeks burned with shame for breaking down in such a public place – and over such a small thing! Sure, she had been not-so-secretly crushing on Shikamaru for the past five years, but him getting engaged wasn't the worst thing that could happen. What about Sakura, who had gone four years without Sasuke in her life at all, pining silently after him?

Ino had no right to be crying. No right at all.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, attempting a smile. It was weak.

"Right," Naruto said, unimpressed. "Like I said, three options."

"Three options?" Ino echoed, bewildered. Naruto didn't seem to hear her.

"You can pretend you're okay when you're really not," Naruto said. "This can help you keep your pride, but it usually only takes about a week to crack and break down, so I wouldn't recommend it."

Ino stared at him. Naruto went on, expression serious.

"You could cry it all out, mope around a bit. Maybe eat some chocolate, hang out with Sakura. This way works at making you feel better – if you're sad, just _be _sad, once and for all. Of course, if you were okay with that, you wouldn't be crying all alone here, would you?" Naruto asked with a gentle smile.

Ino blinked. His eyes were even bluer than hers.

She licked her lips. "What's my third option?"

Naruto beamed – clearly, he had been waiting for this moment. He reached out, took her hands in his, and said, very seriously, "Your third option is to close the door on Shikamaru and find the next one that's been opened for you," he said. "Your third option is to get up, wipe away your tears, paste on your pretty little smile, and go out with me."

Ino was thrown off by that. "What?"

But Naruto wouldn't back down. "Go out with me," he repeated. "For two reasons: first, you need to show Shikamaru that you don't care what he does. You are a strong, independent woman."

It sounded like had been talking to Sakura. "What's the other reason?" Ino asked.

Naruto's smile widened, if that was possible, and he said, "Because I'm taking you to Ichiraku, of course! Ramen makes everything better."

Ino shook her head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "You're impossible," she informed him. "I think I'd rather go with moping."

Naruto frowned, eyes dimming. Clearly, he hadn't expected this. Only in Naruto's world was ramen the answer to everything. Ino folded her arms across her chest, watching as he struggled with his thoughts. She wondered what he was thinking, and why he wouldn't just _leave_, already.

"There's another reason," he said finally.

"Yeah?" she said, running her fingers through the prickly grass underneath her. "What's that?"

Naruto didn't speak for a moment, and Ino glanced up to meet his eye. "What?"

"Well…" He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "It's also because I kind of like you."

Ino stiffened. "Like me," she echoed. "_Like _me, like me?"

"More-than-ramen like you," he assured her. "Ask-Sakura-about-you-until-she-pushes-me-out-a-window like you."

Ino bit back a laugh and shook her head. "How do you _do _that?"

"Do what?"

"_This_," she said. "Make people feel good, no matter what. I was crying before you came here, and now—"

"I don't do anything," he said, embarrassed.

But that wasn't true, Ino knew. It was no wonder that Naruto had been Sasuke's first friend. If anyone could understand Sasuke, it would be everyone's best friend.

Ino smiled up at him and, encouraged, he stood, brushed off his pants, and held out a hand to her. "So, how about it?" he said. "Will you go out with me?"

Ino considered for a moment, then shrugged, sliding her hand into Naruto's. "Sure," she said. "My treat."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. "You can pay next time."

She had never seen anyone smile so wide.


	31. Gaara & Sakura, screamo

For **Zelha****  
Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura**  
Word count: **678**  
Prompt: **headphones**  
Notes: **I don't judge music; Sakura does. Just saying. Also, this is… idk. But enjoy? Ish?

-x-

When she bumped into Gaara, Sakura's first instinct was to run, far, _far_ away.

Instead, she squeaked an apology and stooped down to pick up the binder she had dropped. It was old and worn, and the binding was weak, so naturally it had exploded over the hallway floor.

She reached out for her Calculus notes, but a pale hand reached them first, and when Sakura glanced up, Gaara was holding them out to her, expression blank.

Sakura had to remember how to breathe. What was he going to do to her? Maybe he would slit her throat with them. Paper-cuts were nothing to be taken lightly.

Instead, he remained crouched before her, papers held out patiently, until Sakura finally gathered the nerve to reach out a shaky hand and take the papers. Then Gaara stood up, hitched his backpack higher up his shoulder, and walked away without a word.

Sakura wasn't the only one to watch him go.

**-x-**

When she told Ino, she didn't believe her.

"He's probably just waiting to catch you alone," she said wisely, before stuffing a handful of Smarties in her mouth. "Too many witnesses in the hall. He'd have to kill them all."

Sakura gulped. Beside her, Tenten sighed, setting down her sandwich.

"Don't be ridiculous. It was an accident. Gaara's not going to hunt you down for it – he's not the psycho you think he is."

Walking down the empty hall to her locker, Sakura had to doubt this. Gaara, son of the mayor of the neighboring town, the terrifying, mysterious exchange student who wandered the halls with no friends, no books, and only a pair of large black headphones slid over his ears. Most students had to hide their earphones in the halls, but Gaara only seemed to take his off while the teacher was speaking – and no one ever complained. No one _could_.

So who could blame Sakura for being nervous? Gaara could get away with anything. Gaara was creepy. Gaara was quiet. Gaara was—

Gaara was lying on the grass outside.

Sakura blinked, stopping in her tracks to peer out the window. The splash of red hair was unmistakable – Gaara was on his back, eyes closed, headphones on – of course – under the shade of a patch of trees outside her window.

Sakura watched him for a moment, then realized – she could use this chance to apologize to him! Sure, it was risky to do when she was alone, but Tenten and Ino were sure to become suspicious if she went missing, and Gaara would be half-asleep; surely she could outrun him if need be?

Sakura nodded decisively, steeled herself, and jogged down the hall, out the door, and around the side of the building. When she was close enough to stare down at him, though, she paused.

Gaara's expression was smooth, his mouth a soft line in his pale, smooth skin. He looked relaxed – at peace, almost, and she wavered. Should she wake him? He might kill her.

Sakura stared at him for a long moment. In the silent spring afternoon, she could just barely hear the music coming from his headphones, but couldn't make it out.

And then, in a wild moment of sheer _stupidity_, Sakura leaned down before she could stop herself, so she could hear her the music coming from Gaara's headphones, bracing herself for the most disturbing kind of screamo. What other explanation was there for his… him-ness?

She had to listen for a long moment before she could be sure that no, Gaara was _not _listening to wrist-slitting screw-the-world-and-everyone-in-it _shrieking_, but yes, he _was _listening to the soft, flowing melody of _Für Elise._

Sakura pulled back just enough to stare at him, shocked. Gaara was breathing softly, his rest undisturbed, even by the pink strands of her hair brushing his cheeks. He turned his head to the side, and she sat back on her heels to watch him for a moment, smiling.

Who would've thought that big, bad Gaara would ever listen to _classical _music?

Talk about music soothing the savage beast.


	32. Kiba & Sakura, Pants on Fire

For **s-makn  
Pairing: **KibaSaku  
**Word count:** 702  
**Prompt: **It's too far to swim and too shallow to sink  
**Notes:** Takes place after Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Sai fail to bring back Sasuke. Yeah, way back then. Also, two drabbles in one day! (Well, okay, it's past midnight. But you know what I mean.) How much do I rock?

-x-

"How are you doing, Sakura?"

Sakura shot Kiba a bemused smile from where she was examining the wound crossing his abdomen. The kunai that sliced him had been poisoned, and she could only take small amounts of it out of his bloodstream every day.

"I think I'm supposed to be asking _you _that." She flexed her fingers lightly against his abs. "Relax," she ordered.

"I _am _relaxed," he said. "You're the tense one."

"I'm just trying to concentrate," she protested. Then she fell silent, examining the freshly-bleeding wound carefully. Kiba waited until she had finished extracting the poison and rebandaged his wound before he spoke again.

"So, tell me," he said, rolling his neck back to watch her head to the corner sink to wash her hands.

"Tell you what?" she asked, ripping out a paper towel.

"Why you look so sad."

As Kiba had expected, Sakura stiffened. Silence stretched between them for half a minute, before Sakura stepped away from the sink and turned back to face him, expression carefully neutral.

"I'm not sad," she began, but Kiba cut her off.

"Bullshit." Sakura flinched, but Kiba continued, "You've been like this since your team came back from Oto."

Sakura's gaze narrowed. "How did you know about that?"

"Naruto told me," he said impatiently. "But that's not important. He's worried about you."

"He doesn't have to be," she told him. "He has it worse than me. I'm fine. Your check-up's done for today. I'll be back tomorrow."

She made to leave, but Kiba called out to her, "Do everyone a favor, Sakura, and tell the truth for once."

Sakura stopped, but didn't turn. "Excuse me?" Her voice was soft.

Kiba didn't back down. "You have a stream of lies running a mile long. You're not upset about Sasuke, you're not worried about Kakashi, you hate Sai, you don't want to make amends with Ino… you think you're clever, Sakura, but you're really not," he said. He waited until she turned to add, "It's not hard to see through your lies."

Sakura clenched her jaw and, as Kiba had hoped, strode back across the room, sandals clicking against the tiled floor, to his bed.

"What is your _problem, _Kiba?" she demanded angrily.

"_My _problem?" he echoed with a laugh. "I don't have a problem, Sakura. You, however, do. With honesty, apparently."

"I'm not lying!"

"Then _why _haven't you smiled at me once since your team returned without Sasuke?"

Sakura's eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed with shame. Kiba's gaze was intent, probing on her.

She swallowed. "I've just been a little preoccupied." She cast her eyes to the floor. "Nothing's wrong with that, is there?"

"No," he said gently. "There isn't. So why won't you admit it to anyone?"

Sakura perched on the edge of his bed, fiddling with the corner of the sheet covering his lower half and staring out the window. "It's—Naruto," she finally said with a sigh. "You know how he is – he stresses over everything I say. If I say I'm fine, he'll—"

"Still worry," Kiba finished. He leaned forward, wincing lightly as the bandages stretched across his stomach. "Naruto's not an idiot. I mean, he is." Sakura smiled a little at that. "But he's not an idiot when it comes to you. He can see through your lies, because he's in love with you. You can't pull anything over him."

Sakura reddened, but her smile widened. "There's no fooling him, is there?"

"You can hurt the ones you love," Kiba said with a nod, "But you can't lie to them."

Sakura stood. "Then I think I should go find Naruto," she said. "Thanks, Kiba."

Kiba grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura."

She patted his knee, then walked out of the room, ready for her lunch break. She stopped by her office only to drop off Kiba's file, smiling at it for a moment. Kiba was a nice guy, and smarter than she gave him credit for. He was awfully perceptive—

Sakura froze, suddenly recalling their conversation, and a key piece of it that she hadn't noticed earlier.

If Naruto could see through her lies because he was in love with her… then what was Kiba's excuse?


	33. Sasuke & Sakura & Naruto, Fanatics

For **kyo12591  
Pairing: **SasuSakuNaru (well, a triangle. Ish. Threesomes traumatized me)**  
Word count: **452**  
Prompts: **addiction, pocky, long-haired brothers**  
Notes: **I made this a sort of continuation to number 8, since that one's prompt was also pocky. You don't need to read it or anything to understand this, of course. But… yeah.

-x-

"I don't think I like you eating so much ramen, Naruto."

"But Sakura-chan! I love it! Almost as much as I love you!"

Sakura didn't look impressed.

On her other side, Sasuke snorted. "Classy."

Naruto scowled, cradling his steaming bowl of ramen protectively to his chest. "What?"

"You love a bowl of noodles more than you love me?" she asked. "I think I'm offended."

Naruto looked at her with wide, imploring eyes. "They're not just noodles," he protested. "Ramen is my _life_!"

"Addict," Sakura scoffed, turning back to her own bowl. After a moment, she glanced back up, feeling Sasuke's eyes on her. "What?"

He looked amused. "You're a hypocrite," he said.

Sakura bristled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he said, "You're more obsessed with pocky than you are with me."

"Not true!" Sakura said, turning to face him on her stool. "How could you even say that, Sasuke-kun? I am so hurt you'd think of me that way."

Sasuke just gave her a very flat look. "You paid more attention to the pocky Ino bought you than you did to me yesterday. Remember?"

"Until you kissed me," she reminded him. "Take your shirt off more, Sasuke-kun, and no amount of pocky could beat you."

Naruto gagged from behind her. "Do you guys mind? I'm trying to enjoy my ramen in peace." Sasuke smirked, and Naruto added under his breath, "Way to shove my heartbreak in my face."

Sakura shook her head at their antics and went on, to wipe the stupid smug smirk off of Sasuke's face, "And besides, pocky is excellent and sweet and crunchy and wonderful. Everyone loves pocky – even you! What's _your _excuse, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke blinked. "My excuse?"

Sakura grinned. "Let's not forget _your _obsession with a certain long-haired brother of yours. Naruto and I don't even _compare _to that."

Naruto laughed. "Sasuke wins for Fanatic of the Year!" he declared, loudly enough to get the attention of the other patrons of Ichiraku.

Sakura was beaming at Sasuke, and he had to resist the urge to shove her, head first, into her ramen. He settled for grumbling, "Why am I dating you?"

"Want me to take her off your hands?" Naruto asked. In response, Sasuke glared at him, and Sakura whacked him upside the head.

"What am I, a package?" Sasuke sneered at the pathetic way Naruto rubbed his poor, abused head – then scowled when Sakura did the same to him. "And you are _lucky _to have me after everything you did to me. Apologize!"

"…"

"_Sa-su-ke!"_

"Sor." It was as far as he could go.

Sakura looked somewhat satisfied. "Good. Now buy me pocky, and all will be forgiven."

Manipulative bitch.

Sasuke was… kind of proud.


	34. Sasuke & Sakura, Lip Gloss

**Pairing: **SasuSaku  
**Word count: **817  
**Prompts: **drunk!Sasuke (for **Crystle Rain**), chocolate (for **Black Rose-hime101**), Sasuke wearing lipgloss (for **ANGELforSHOW**)  
**Notes: **Sorry, I combined a few prompts for this – I hope the requesters don't mind :D It just… worked. And also I'm trying really hard to get caught up ASAP on my prompts so I can take new ones again. I might do this again if people don't mind – just for the ones easy to combine?

-x-

When Sakura got drunk, she acted more like Tsunade. Not the mature, responsible, intelligent Hokage and head medic, but the violent, easily irritated, procrastinating alcoholic. Being around a drunk Sakura was hazardous, so Team Seven had forbidden her from drinking alcohol.

Naruto, on the other hand, got drunk very easily, but never stayed that way for long. Kyuubi's chakra burnt away all the alcohol in his system quickly, and Naruto used this to his advantage to trash himself without having to suffer the side effects.

That left Sasuke.

Sasuke wasn't lucky enough to have a demon sealed inside of him to suck out all the alcohol from his system. He also didn't have teammates that were afraid of him getting drunk and so kept him away from alcohol.

No, when Sasuke got drunk, Team Seven was too busy cracking up to help him.

**-x-**

Sasuke was halfway between tipsy and drunk. Before the night was over, he was sure to be flat-out _smashed._

"Why drink so much if you can't hold your liquor?" Sakura wondered aloud as she watched him order another round of drinks from his spot across the table from her.

Beside her, Naruto snorted. "Like I know how his twisted mind works. Now _there's _something for you to study, Sai."

For some unfathomable reason, Sai was sitting beside Sasuke, and Sasuke was _letting _him. As a rule, Sai couldn't drink alcohol – instead, he had a glass of water in front of him. It was untouched – he seemed to be more interested in watching Sasuke make a fool of himself than drinking anything.

Sasuke finally finished up his order and, catching Naruto's last few words, blinked slowly.

"You talkin' 'bout me?" he slurred.

"Nope," Naruto said cheerfully, "We're talking about the _other _loser drunk off his ass."

"Oh," Sasuke said with a shrug. "Okay."

And he turned back to his nearly-empty glass.

Naruto snickered. "What a _loser_. Five bucks says he steals your lip gloss again." Naruto shook his head, not seeming to notice the way Sakura stiffened. "Always knew he was a girl inside."

Sakura laughed nervously. "Ahaha. Yeah. I know. What a girl." She cleared her throat. "So, Sai! Want something to eat? Ramen? Strawberries? Chocolate?"

"Oooh, I want to see if Sai can get hyper off sugar," Naruto said gleefully. "I wonder if he'll be like Sasuke."

"I don't wear lip gloss," Sasuke said abruptly.

"Dude, you are _so slow_."

"Don' make fun of me!" Sasuke scowled. He seemed to be having trouble focusing, and he was starting to sway in his seat, shoulder knocking against Sai's. "That lip gloss was Sak'ra's, 'cause she moleste—ow!"

Sasuke glowered at Sakura accusingly from across the table – or tried to, rather. He ended up glaring three feet to her right, at a random chair.

"Over here, Sasuke," she whispered helpfully.

"Thanks," he said, shifting his glare to her.

"No problem. Oh, and—"

"Ow!" Sasuke scowled even more deeply. "Stop kicking me, Sak'ra!"

Naruto was watching this all suspiciously. "Wait, Sasuke, what were you saying about Sak—"

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, grabbing for her wallet. She found it, threw it at him, and hit him in the nose. "Go buy Sai chocolate! He's never had sugar before, he's sure to get a little kooky."

Naruto just looked at her. "Way to break my nose, Sakura-chan," he said flatly.

Sakura was getting desperate. "I'll pay!"

"Well, in that case…" He beamed, gesturing for her to slide out of the booth. She complied, and Naruto got out. "C'mon, Sai."

"And I should take you home, Sasuke," Sakura said, holding out her hand.

"I think you broke my leg," he said, sounding suspiciously close to whining.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."

He sniffed. "'Sokay."

They parted ways soon after that, and Sakura led Sasuke back to his apartment, letting him lean on her for support. He was swaying rather dangerously now, seemingly unaware at all of his surroundings.

Until she unlocked his door for him, of course. Then he turned to her, managing to smirk slyly, if blearily.

"Wanna come in?" he asked, already sliding a hand around the back of her neck.

"I have to work early," she said. "I have a few minutes, though."

"I can work fast," he said earnestly, drawing her inside so he could show her just why he got drunk so often."

**-x-**

The next afternoon found Naruto at Ichiraku, shaking his head over a bowl of ramen and complaining to Sakura at lunchtime. They were alone, since Sasuke was nursing a hangover and didn't want to be around Naruto. Or so Naruto reported from their encounter early in the morning.

"But the _really _bad part, Sakura-chan? Worse than him hurting my feelings and being a bigger jerk than usual? He was wearing lip gloss. Again!"

Sakura smudged a finger over her own glossed lips when Naruto wasn't looking and smiled to herself.


	35. Neji & Sakura, By Chance

For **Ultimate Chibiness  
Pairing: **NejiSaku  
**Word count: **896**  
prompt: **Karma  
**notes: **AU. Though that's pretty obvious. Also, I think I might have made Kiba really ugh-worthy here, because of what he says. But yeah… I didn't mean it that way. Just like I didn't mean for Sasuke to come off as an ass in the last drabble.  
And there is very little romance or anything here. Oops? :D

-x-

"Oh, let me get those for you!" Kiba said, reaching out to grab the bags from the little old lady tottering out of the grocery store.

"You want to buy an ice cream?" he asked of the little boy outside the ice cream parlour, wearing a baseball cap and counting out his change sadly – for the fifth time. "Not enough money? Here's a dollar. Go wild."

"Oh, careful!" he said to the pre-teen girl trying to balance an overloaded tray in the overcrowded food court. "Here, let me help."

"What are you _doing_?" Naruto demanded once Kiba returned from catching a runaway hamster for the pet store.

"Being helpful," Kiba said, dusting off his hands.

Lee smiled. "Good for you, Kiba! Help your fellow man! Such generosity is so rare—"

"It's good karma," Kiba finished with a grin. "It'll help me find a new girlfriend."

Lee looked shocked.

"But Kiba!" he cried. "Such selfish motives!"

"Yeah, well." Kiba shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I believe in equivalent exchange. Can't get something without giving in return, and all that."

"Wise words, Edward Elric," Naruto said sarcastically. "But no amount of karma is going to convince another girl to put up with you."

"Big words for The Perpetual Bachelor," Kiba sneered.

"Both of you," Neji finally cut in, "_Shut up_."

Naruto complied, since he was a little afraid of Neji. Lee was still ranting about Kiba's attitude towards helping others. Kiba, for his part, didn't seem to notice, and instead grinned at Neji.

"Give it a try, Neji. You need all the good karma you can get."

Neji just glared at him. He didn't even know why he was here, in a _mall _of all places, except that Lee had asked him to come so they could choose a birthday present for their friend Tenten. Neji had only agreed so he could prevent Lee from buying her some spandex monstrosity. He hadn't been expecting Naruto and Kiba, the Terror Twins, to tag along.

"See anything, Lee?" he asked wearily, rubbing his temples. It had already been an hour, and Lee had yet to pick out something. Neji was quickly growing tired of all the socializing.

"_I _do," Kiba said abruptly, moving forward, past Neji. His eyes were on a tall blonde with bright blue eyes, standing a few feet away and checking her cell phone. As the three of them fell back to watch, Kiba hurried forward to say a few words to the blonde. They couldn't hear what he said, or her response, but they could see her shake her head with an apologetic smile, and Kiba pasting on a fake one.

"Shot _down_," Naruto said under his breath, wincing, as Kiba came sauntering back, smiling pleasantly.

"Karma sucks," he said cheerfully. "I give up."

Well, maybe now they could get something done. Neji sighed. "You," he informed Kiba, "Are an idiot."

"Let's try here," Lee said hastily, interrupting whatever comment Kiba was about to make and averting a potential argument. "Maybe Tenten will like a new CD?"

Neji privately agreed, so he followed Lee silently, leaving Naruto and Kiba to start bickering – as usual – behind him. Lee immediately headed for the Western section, and Neji, with a roll of his eyes, made his way to the hip-hop aisle.

There was someone already there, kneeling on the dark carpet and picking up a number of CD cases. Obviously, she had dropped them, and Neji automatically stooped to help. He had been raised to always help a girl in trouble, after all – and not for any stupid reasons involving karma. Neji didn't believe in that kind of thing.

He didn't speak as he gathered the cases, and he could feel the girl watching him. He didn't look up until he held out the cases to her – and that was when he found himself staring into big, bottle-green eyes.

The girl smiled, pushing her hair – candy pink, Neji noted. Surely not natural? – out of her eyes. "Thanks," she said. She was rather pretty, he thought absently.

Neji nodded, then stood. The girl did the same, then turned to stack the cases back on the shelf.

"I'm Sakura, by the way," she said.

"Neji," he said shortly, looking through the selection of CDs.

"You like hip-hop?" she asked. Neji turned to face her, one eyebrow raised. Why was she talking to him?

"It's for a friend," he said. "I'm not a fan."

"Girlfriend?" she asked.

Neji shook his head. "Just a friend," he said, even though he really didn't owe it to her to do so.

The girl smiled, straightening out her black shirt, and then Neji noticed the nametag pinned to it. "Can I help?"

When Neji left the store with a small plastic bag, he found Kiba and Naruto on a bench, waiting. Kiba was sulking.

"How did _you _get a hot girl to talk to you?" he demanded. "You're like a _wall_!"

Neji ignored the insult and glanced back at the store. Lee was still looking for music, and Neji sighed. He had been hoping he would have left after seeing Neji buy Tenten's present.

He turned to go call Lee out of the store, but not before answering Kiba's question. A Hyuuga never left anyone hanging, after all.

Neji offered Kiba a short half-shrug and said, "Karma."

He was starting to believe it.


	36. Minato & Sakura, Twu Lub

For **allurement  
Pairing: **Minato x Sakura**  
Prompts: **pineapple yogurt, curtains**  
Word count: **1223**  
Notes: **AU, because I couldn't resist. Started ages ago, and finished because of the latest _Naruto_ chapter, which was enough to win back my love for the manga. How do more people not like this pairing?

-x-

Sakura had been ("bestest best BEST, Sakura-chan!") friends with Naruto and Sasuke for years, thirteen to be exact, since the first time they met in the sandbox. Some bully had sprayed sand in Sakura's face, and Naruto jumped him, disregarding the fact that the other boy was about a foot taller (he had been a vertically challenged child). Sasuke had joined in the fray, just because he was an overconfident snot even then, and the trio had been inseparable since.

"Aren't we a little old for sleepovers?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"There is no age limit on friendship," Sakura told him firmly. Sasuke sighed.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." His cell phone rang before Sakura could reply – not that she would, she was trying to decide which t-shirt to pack – and he flipped it open with an annoyed "Hn."

"_Who answers the phone with a _grunt_? When will you learn to be normal?" _Even across the room, rooting around in her closet, Sakura could hear Naruto's voice.

"I think you just shattered my eardrums."

"_Whatever. When will you guys be here?"_

"Sakura's trying to pick a toothbrush."

"…"

"Don't ask."

"_Tell her to hurry. Dad's making ramen!"_

Sasuke glanced up from where he had been examining the loose threads on Sakura's pale green comforter, and called out to Sakura, who had disappeared, now to her bathroom. "Sakura. Take your time if you don't want Naruto's father's cooking."

Almost immediately, Sakura appeared in the doorway. "Tell him I'm almost ready," she said, then she zipped back inside, and Sasuke could've sworn she was smiling just a bit too wide

He shook his head. Stupid girl thought she was so smooth.

On the other side of the bathroom door, Sakura was running her fingers through her hair and putting on just a touch of lip gloss. She felt like a little girl playing dress-up.

It was true, there were a number of advantages to being best friends with Sasuke and Naruto. Because of Naruto she knew everyone, and because of Sasuke everyone knew her. Bullies thought _thrice _before so much as approaching her, and she was privy to all sorts of secrets.

But that all paled in comparison to what their friendship had brought her when she was fifteen: namely, her One True Love.

* * *

"Hurry up!" Naruto was impatient on the best of days; offer him his favorite food and he was an absolute nightmare. "The ramen will get cold!"

"And what a tragedy that would be," Sasuke deadpanned, locking his car. The moron had come out to the driveway to greet him.

Naruto all but grabbed the bag out of Sakura's hand, before taking her by the hand and dragging her behind him. "Ramen ramen ramennnnn," he sang. Sasuke scoffed. As if Sakura wasn't in as big a hurry as he was. If anything, Sasuke was the slow one.

The smell of ramen was heavy as soon as they entered, and Sasuke inwardly groaned. As if it wasn't bad enough that his best friend worshiped the stuff, his dad couldn't even make anything else. And, since both Sakura and Naruto were fond of these little slumber parties, usually at Naruto's house, he had eaten much more ramen that he had ever wanted to _see_, let alone digest in the last thirteen years.

"Dinner's ready, kids!" Naruto's father called from the kitchen.

"Yum, food. Hungry. Need. Let's go!" Sakura said – very briefly – racing ahead to the kitchen.

Sasuke wondered at how unsubtle she could be. Who wouldn't realize that—

"I think I'm rubbing off on her. Yay for the powers of ramen!"

Well. Lucky for her that Naruto was stupid.

* * *

"You look hungry, Sakura."

Did that mean she looked fat, like she needed food. Or so skinny she looked anorexic, like she needed stuffing?

"What can I say? I, um, love ramen."

Minato, Naruto's father, grinned, clearly not believing her. "Fridge's open to you, you know." He wiped his hands on a dishtowel, and scooped up the steaming bowl, carrying it to the kitchen table, where Naruto and Sasuke were sitting down. The kitchen was small, and Sakura was right by the refrigerator – where Minato passed on his way to his son. Sakura nearly burst into giddy laughter right then.

Instead, she yanked open the fridge door and perused its limited contents. "Milk, broccoli, tomatoes – for Sasuke? – ooh, yum, pineapple yogurt!"

"You like that stuff, right, Sakura?"

"You guys introduced me to it," she replied eagerly, pulling it out. "Do you have a spoon?"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto cut in. "What about the _ramen?_ You said you liked it!"

But ramen was so _messy_, and – Sakura flicked a glance at Minato, who didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave. He was leaning back against the counter, asking Sasuke about school, and brushing the messy blond hair back from his face.

He was _so cool._

"Um, maybe later," she said, settling down at the table with her yogurt and a spoon. She didn't want Minato to think she didn't appreciate his cooking, after all.

"Sakura hates ramen," Sasuke said off-handedly, effectively ruining that plan. She kicked him under the table. "Ow."

"I like ramen," Sakura said quickly. "I'm just – not feeling good right now. And, uh, I'd rather not spew all over your kitchen table." Sakura winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth. What was _wrong _with her?

"Classy," Sasuke muttered.

"Ramen always makes me feel better," Naruto said. "Especially my dad's. It's heaven in noodle form." He held out a bite to her, noodles dangling and dripping broth from his chopsticks. "Open wide, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura leaned back, eyeing the food warily. "Naruto, that's going to spill."

"Naruto," Minato chided. "Don't force her." Then he turned to Sakura. "So, how's school, Sakura?"

"It's good."

"It's _great_," Naruto enthused. "Sakura made the cheerleading squad. She wears a skirt," he added with relish.

Sakura made a face. "Way to make it sound totally pathetic." It was actually hard, for her – she wasn't that good. But she _did _enjoy it, more than she had thought she would.

"I didn't mean it that way," Naruto protested.

"Nothing's wrong with cheerleading," Minato said, straightening and moving towards the stack of files on the table. "Nothing wrong with skirts, either," he added, with a quick grin at his son.

"Ew," Sasuke said. Sakura ignored him, bright, beaming eyes on Minato.

"You should come to a game some time! I get to be on the top of the pyramid!"

"Sure thing," Minato said absently, flipping through his papers. "Naruto will tell me when they are. But I have to get going. Will you kids be okay?"

"Yeah. We're going to have a _Super Smash Bros _showdown," Naruto said gleefully. "I'm going to beat Sasuke's ass."

"Language, Naruto. I'll be home late, after midnight. Don't wait up."

Sasuke shot Sakura a pointed look. She flipped him off when Minato wasn't looking. Naruto jumped up to see his dad off.

"He's coming to a game, then," Sasuke said.

Of course he would. Minato wasn't like her parents or Sasuke's. He didn't fake interest. If he said he'd come to see Sakura cheer, he would. God, she'd better get a tan.

"You have a reverse-Lolita complex," Sasuke observed. "Please get help."

"He totally wants me," Sakura informed him cheerfully.


	37. Neji & Sakura, Role Reversal

For **Zelha**  
**Pairing:** NejiSaku  
**Word count: **678  
**Prompt:** ninja binding wire  
**Notes**: I think I'm overdue for some non-crack, considering I've only done like…. Two serious ones. FAIL.

-x-

Neji woke up to a dull pain at the base of his skull, a cramping leg, and pebbles jamming themselves into his spine, flat on his back, tied down, and with the bitter taste of betrayal in his mouth.

All in all, he was not very happy.

He twisted his wrists – the only part of his body he _could _move – to try and get the blood flowing, and scanned the forest around him, trying to remember what had happened.

He had been on a mission, he knew. Not very difficult – he could have handled it alone, but Tsunade had specifically _requested _him to take her apprentice out for some training…

And that same apprentice had been the one to knock Neji out when his back was turned – and when the rest of him was hip-deep in the stream, washing up. Of all the times to best him… he _still _wasn't dressed! It was sheer luck that Neji was modest in front of – or anywhere near, really – a lady and still wore his pants. Naruto would've called him a prude. But Naruto would also have rocks getting into awkward places, Neji thought smugly.

"Ah, you're awake!" And now he wasn't so smug anymore.

Sakura sounded ridiculously pleased, and he turned his glare on her. She was sitting on a boulder a few feet away, one leg crossed over the other, a book in her lap. Neji fumed at the injustice. She had knocked him out and tied him up so she could _read?_

"Haruno," he said flatly, "Why have you tied me up." It wasn't really a question, but Sakura replied all the same.

"Because I want your body," she said, as if it were obvious. When Neji stiffened, she added quickly, "Oh, not the way Orochimaru might! I just think you're hot."

"…" She was clearly deranged. Well, she _did _spend a lot of time with Naruto…

"I got you good, didn't I?" she asked him eagerly. As if he was going to praise her for _that_.

"Untie me. _Now_," he said very calmly.

Sakura frowned. "Why?"

"…Because I'm your captain, not an enemy," he said. "And I'm sure this is illegal."

"Not if you consent to it," she said with a wicked little smile. Neji shifted uncomfortably. He felt very exposed, lying on the ground, only half-dressed.

"Haruno," he repeated, "Untie me. This is an order."

Now she looked a bit worried. "…Are you going to report me?"

"No."

"Attack me?"

"No."

"Bury—"

"Dammit, _no_!" Neji took a steadying breath. "I won't do anything. Just – untie me. Please."

The 'please' was probably what did it, Neji knew. Sakura was a sucker for good manners – especially after Sasuke. She kneeled down beside him immediately, reaching across his bare chest to loosen the binding wire.

Neji watched her carefully for a moment. She was distracted, he could tell. He wasn't exactly sure by what, but he had a feeling it was his six-pack. Either way, it gave him the perfect opportunity to, once he was freed, hook an arm around her waist, flip their positions, and tie her up himself.

Sakura struggled, of course, yelping and kicking out reflexively, but Neji worked fast – and neatly. He even finished off with a neat little bow at Sakura's waist. Then he looked down at her.

Sakura was staring up at him with wide, fearful eyes. Neji was offended. Who did she think he was, anyway?

"So," he said, "You're into bondage."

Sakura made a small sound of surprise as Neji bent to help her out of her sandals.

"I – _what?" _She tried to shy away, but Neji caught her ankle. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing you seem to have a problem with," Neji said.

"I – _Neji! _Oh my God, I'll tell shishou! Hinata! _Naruto!_" she warned, sounding increasingly hysterical by the second, "I'm sure this is illegal!"

Neji cocked an eyebrow at her. He wasn't smiling.

"Not if you consent to it." And then he knelt beside her, cracking his knuckles. Time to test just how strong this wire was.


	38. Orochimaru & Ino, Make Believe

For **allurement  
Pairing: **Orochimaru/Ino  
**Word count: **891**  
Prompts/specifications (ha): **dark!fic, third-person, alternating POV, introspective, "And the songs get louder each one better than before."  
**Notes: **I mention all the extra specifications I was given, because I am totally cool with people doing that for me. Just don't give me a summary, and I can write it. Also, this request was made ages ago, and I'm writing this as a semi-AU, with Orochimaru having succeeded in taking Sasuke's body.  
So this is my not-crack – not the last one, like some people thought, hah – and… it's not that dark. Ah well.  
ALSO! A lot of people asked for a continuation to the last one. So that'll be up someday. :D

-x-

Sakura was falling in love with Naruto. Ino doubted that she noticed it, but the signs were there.

If Sasuke came back now, Ino knew that he would break the two of them up, without even meaning to, and she didn't want that. She didn't want Sakura to pine after _anyone _anymore, not when she had Naruto, who would give her the world if she so much as asked.

When she saw Sasuke, headed for the village, she stopped him. he looked different; cheeks sunken in, gaze hungry. Still gorgeous, though. Of course.

"What are _you _doing here?" she demanded, heart banging against her rib cage. She wondered if he could hear it. Maybe.

He looked at her, and his lips flickered in an instance of a smirk. _Thud thud thud._ Her blood hummed, and she hated herself. She hated him more.

"I live here," he said. Rasped, more like. No one to talk to in Oto.

"Not anymore, you don't," she said, flipping out a kunai. "Get out of here."

He inclined his head towards the gate, only a few miles away. "My teammates are waiting for me."

"They're not," she said. Lied. "Leave them alone. Sakura doesn't need you in her life."

Sasuke smiled, and Ino flinched.

"I wasn't talking about Sakura," he said, and for a flash, his gaze turned yellow, snakelike, "Or Naruto."

Ino's eyes were wide.

Orochimaru smiled. "I _do _owe Sasuke a favor, however."

-x-

he had wanted to take that village, to break that village. He had wanted to see Tsunade again, show her what he had done to one of her most prized citizens. To see Jiraiya, the fool, to take everything everyone had to offer.

Sasuke wanted his clan rebuilt. Orochimaru was fine with that; more Sharingan-wielding vessels to sustain him for years. Sasuke resisted; he wanted a family that was free, that was happy, or none at all. But then, Sasuke wasn't the one in control anymore.

Sakura, his little pink-haired teammate, had been Sasuke's first choice, but Orochimaru thought the blonde in front of him would do quite nicely. She was here, Sakura was there. It was all a question of convenience, really.

She stood defiant, raging, a little scared. Orochimaru could taste it in the air, crackling, swirling around them.

"You can't stop me," he said, and activated his Sharingan. It made him a little giddy, to use it, to command it. A twinge in the back of his mind showed Sasuke's immense displeasure. Orochimaru could ignore it.

"Get away from here." Her voice shook. Then she shook her head. "_Why _are you here?"

"I told you," he said. "I owe _Sasuke-kun _a favor." At this he reached up, trailed his fingers over the planes of his new face with a sigh. "I have a beautiful face, don't I?" His gaze sharpened. "You see it, too."

The blonde took an unwilling half-step back, and Orochimaru knew it was true. He smiled. It was hard to do in Sasuke's face.

"I won't touch your village," Orochimaru said suddenly. He had time to carry out his vengeance on Konoha, after all. He wanted some fun now.

she was suspicious, not unreasonably so.

"Not the people, either?" Ah, clever girl. He approved. "Not Sakura or Naruto?"

so that was her concern. Orochimaru smiled. She was a _romantic_. Well, so was he.

"All I ask is one thing," he said. Leered. She swallowed, hard. "What's your name?"

"Ino," she said without hesitation.

"Ino," he echoed. "How would you like to help a fellow citizen of Konoha?"

-x-

Ino wasn't in love with anyone back home. She had a minor crush on Shikamaru, had once been interested in Sai, was in awe of Kakashi, but that was it, but for her undying passion at twelve years old, for none other than the boy standing in front of her.

You had to sacrifice for your village, Ino knew. She was okay with this. What she _wasn't _okay with was being okay, and even she knew how little sense that meant.

But this was _Sasuke_, in body at least, touching her and kissing her and whispering against her skin. So what if his movements were a bit too serpentine, if his gaze on her was a bit too amused? He still had Sasuke's perfect features, perfect body, perfect everything-exterior.

Still, when she leaned into his touch, when she swept her tongue along his, when she moaned just a little too loud, it was easy to forget that she was doing unforgivable things with the enemy.

She had sometimes dreamt of this when she was younger, though perhaps in more innocent detail. But that was when there was Sakura, who loved Sasuke, who Ino loved more than _any _boy. She couldn't hurt Sakura then, so she would wrap herself around Sasuke – around Orochimaru – now.

"That's a good girl," he hissed, snakelike, in her ear when she shook with silent sobs. "You're _such _a good girl," and he laughed.

"I hate you," she said, and he kissed her on the mouth.

"I hate you, too," he said fondly.

Her heart beat – _thump thump thump _– her blood hummed, there was a rushing in her veins, and it was so loud, threatened to consume her as they moved. The song spun around her, getting steadily louder, steadily better.

Ino wept.


	39. Naruto & Sakura, Challenge

For **kyo12591  
Pairing: **NaruSaku  
**Word count: **626**  
Prompts: **Sasuke, snakes, Akatsuki  
**Notes: **I love this pairing. Yes, I know, I'm a traitor to my fandom. Spoilers for the latest chapters.  
I need to work on my NaruSaku… :(

-x-

"Who do you love more than anyone?"

Sakura started, glanced at Naruto. That was an odd question.

He seemed to read her mind. "We just fought with Akatsuki," he said. "And if it wasn't for Pein…" He coughed. "Hinata just… she made me think. Who are we fighting for? Personally, I mean?"

Sakura propped an ankle on one upraised knee, arms pillowing her head as she gazed up at the open sky above them. It wasn't like anyone could sleep indoors tonight – not when there was no indoors to speak of. She didn't mind. It was pretty, in a sad kind of way. Comforting, to hear the breathing of every villager as he or she succumbed to slumber.

"My parents," she said. "Ino, you, Kakashi-sensei, shishou…" She hesitated.

"And Sasuke," he finished.

Sakura exhaled. "And Sasuke," she agreed.

They fell silent. Sakura could feel herself getting drowsy, but the energy coming from Naruto, lying beside her, was almost palpable.

"What about you?" she asked, turning to him. "Who do you love most?" It made her blush to ask the question; it was so silly, so awkwardly-phrased. She felt like she was five years old again.

"You," Naruto said, not looking embarrassed at all. He looked serious. Sakura looked away. "Kakashi-sensei, the old pervert, my village. Sasuke."

"I forgot Sai," she realized. So had Naruto. That was kind of funny. And kind of not.

"But I love you most," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. "I love you _so much_, Sakura-chan—"

"Why?" she cut in.

"…What?"

"There's—there's nothing to _love_, Naruto," she said. "I mean, we haven't – you just have a crush on me, from when we were twelve, and, and what about Hinata? What about _Sasuke?"_

"I never said you couldn't love Sasuke," he pointed out. "Or that Hinata-chan can't love me. Just that I love _you_." His face was open, earnest. "It's _not _just a crush."

Sakura gazed up at the stars.

"You don't believe me." He actually sounded frustrated. Sakura shrugged, uncomfortable, continued to stare up, up, up.

"Why can you love Sasuke," he said, staring straight at her, so intense she could _feel _it, "But I can't love _you_?"

That was a very good question.

"I'm not – not really – in love with Sasuke anymore," she cleared her throat, "actually."

Naruto looked surprised. "Oh."

"I grew out of it," she said. That wasn't totally true, but no one – especially not Naruto – had to hear about all the tears, all the crushed dreams, all the heartbreak and fruitless pining that urged her to give up, move on. A girl had to have her secrets.

"Well." He reached over, took one of her hands in his. "I didn't." When she didn't reply, he went on, "You've been my friend longest, Sakura-chan. You've been with me from the beginning. You _stayed _with me."

To them – especially to _him _– Sakura knew, that mattered. A lot. So she turned to look at him. "And?"

"And," he said, "I like it when you smile."

She bit back a grin and turned on her side. "So… what does that mean now?"

"It means that we get Sasuke back," he said. "That I fight him for you. And that if he kicks my ass, he obviously cheated." His palm was warm against hers, and Sakura realized he was still holding her hand. She let him. "You know how these snake types are. He probably cheats at cards, too."

Sakura laughed despite herself. Naruto must have been really sure about seeing and bringing back Sasuke soon, if he was able to joke so easily about him. That was nice.

"But for now," he said, pulling her closer, so close their shoulders brushed, hands overlapped. "Just smile. I like your smile."


	40. Deidara & Sakura, Playtime

**Hi, I'm important: **So I've realized I have four prompts from like, two years ago (I know, pathetic. I give you full permission to laugh at me), so **animefungirl, ChasingEnlightenment, kunoichi13, **and **-Glittery-Bubbles-**, if you even remember your requests, they're, ah, being dropped. Because I'm trying not to suck. You can give me fresh requests. :D Also, why didn't I just PM you? Because _everyone _should see my level of lame D: Sorry to _everyone _who's waited, in the past, future, or even now, still.

For **xo-Kieraa** and **kyo12591  
Pairing: **Deidara x Sakura  
**Word count: **618**  
Prompts: **doll, art, ramen, Naruto  
**Notes: **Yeah, I cheated again. Why? Because I take issue with DeiSaku. Sigh. Anyway, AU because… Deidara's no more, and this would never, ever happen in _Naruto_. I hope. Return of the CRACK, clearly, and it's all in caps because this is the level of crack reserved for, like, _Space Songs_. Eesh.

-x-

"Where's Deidara?" Leader asked at dinner. Dinner was a special affair in the Akatsuki. Unless you were on a mission, you had to be at dinner, in your uniform cloak, at seven, prompt.

Today, there were four members missing from the table: Konan, who was gathering information; Sasori, who was on a mission; Hidan, who was at a retreat; and Deidara, who had no excuse.

"In his room," Itachi said, "Pass the salt." His ramen was lacking flavor. Zetsu nudged the shaker towards him, and Itachi thanked him. He had the best manners in Akatsuki. It was why Konan liked him so much.

"He's playing with his _dolls_," Kisame added with a grin, digging into his fish eyeballs.

Leader looked disgusted, or so his subordinates imagined, since they couldn't actually see his face. Itachi mused that his leader was a lot like Hatake Kakashi, back home. They could exchange tips.

"His _dolls_," he spat. "Ridiculous."

"I think he's got a crush on one of them," Kakuzu put in helpfully. "It's almost cute, in a creepy sort of way."

"I once had a crush on my kunai," Itachi said dreamily.

"I can respect that," Leader said.

-x-

Back in his room, Deidara was, in fact, playing with his dolls, though he took offense at the words 'playing' and 'dolls'. He was creating _art_, dammit! Why did no one in Akatsuki see that?

Oh, right. Because they were uncultured _barbarians_.

Deidara sniffed, lifting his masterpiece. She was beautiful: green eyes, pink hair, slightly-large forehead. Every detail was done to perfection; she looked just like the real thing – she even _glared _at him in the same way!

Deidara cooed over her and his other dolls for a moment, then set them in front of their dollhouse.

"Daddy will be right back," he said, then scurried to his personal bathroom to get ready.

He re-emerged forty minutes later, freshly showered, dressed in a new outfit – still all-black, but without the cloak – nail polish carefully scrubbed off, golden locks of hair positively _shining_.

Then he settled down before the dollhouse again.

"Back in you go," he said, tucking the figurines into their respective beds. "You're too young to see this next part," he added, wagging a finger at a figure in the shape of a small child.

Then he turned to his last doll – his Sakura doll – and beamed.

"Did you miss me, sweetheart?" he purred, lifting the doll carefully and setting her on his knee.

She glared at him.

Deidara patted her head. "Of course you did. Spending all day with that idiot teammate—" He took a breath. "But it's alright. You can be with a _real _man now."

She glared at him.

"My day?" he asked. "Oh, it was fine. Itachi stole my conditioner. Kisame gave me a wedgie." He blushed. "He caught me off-guard, of course. He, uh, knocked me out. Ahem."

She glared at him.

Deidara smiled affectionately at the Sakura doll. "I know, I know. These men are such _brutes_." He lowered his voice to a gentle murmur. "I don't belong here. You know that, right, Sakura? You know I belong with you. Only you. I love you…"

There were voices in the hallway. Dinner was over, it seemed. Deidara was sure he was in for some punishment, but it was worth it. He would give up the _world _for Sakura.

There was a knock at the door.

"Deidara, Leader wants to bust your ass," Kisame called. "C'mon, you pansy."

Deidara frowned at the closed door, then turned to Sakura, breaking into a brilliant smile once more. "I'll be back," he said. "Wait for me, my love."

She glared at him.

-x-

Back in Konoha, Sakura sneezed.


	41. Neji & Tenten, Q&A

For **starlight15**  
**Pairing: **NejiTen  
**Word count: **171**  
Prompt: **Answers aren't what are important; rather, questions bear far more explanations than an answer ever could.  
**Notes: **Aside from brief mentions and almost-implied moments, I have never written a NejiTen before. That's kind of weird, considering I've written MinaSaku, OroIno, and NarutoMikoto. Meh. All dialogue, so I guess it doesn't really count...

-x-

"You refused a mission?"

"How did you know that?"

"Sakura told me. Why'd you refuse?"

"I didn't know you two were friends."

"We're not. Why'd you refuse the mission?"

"I had no time for it."

"Yeah, right. What are you so busy with?"

"…I'm taking a much-needed vacation."

"Right, Neji, okay. You once went on a mission as a _birthday present _to yourself. Lie better, huh? This is insulting to my intelligence."

"…"

"You want to say something?"

"No…"

"Go on, Neji. I can take it. I'm a big girl, you know."

"You're going on a mission."

"That was subtle. So? And how did you know?"

"When is it?"

"Are you even listening to me?"

"_When, _Tenten?"

"So impatient. In two days. It's my first S-rank."

"Who's your captain?"

"Shikamaru, I think. Why?"

"Hm."

"You're being really weir—hey! Where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

"What about training? Neji!"

-x-

"What a surprise to see you here, Neji. Where's Shikamaru? And what happened to your _vacation?"_

"Are you ready to leave yet?"

_"Neji!!"_

* * *

If it wasn't clear, Neji lied about his vacation so he could go with Tenten on her first S-rank mission. Because he's, you know, _so _thoughtful. Right.


	42. Neji & Hinata, Parallel

For **Inulover4eva  
Pairing: **Neji x Hinata  
**Word count: **304**  
Prompts: **bird watching, protector  
**Notes: **Yay for my first try at incest…? Not really romance, but whatever.

-x-

Neji liked Hinata's hair. It made her look more refined, like a true lady of the Hyuuga clan. Not only that, but he felt as if they looked similar standing together, with their pale eyes and long, dark hair. They had similar facial features, as well, and when they stood together, the shadows they cast were nearly identical, but for the differences in the shapes of their bodies.

Neji stood beside her now, at the edge of the Hyuuga compound. It was dark outside, the sky a rich black-blue, and the wind ruffled his hair. He was watching over Hinata as she trained, getting in some practice himself as he did so. It never hurt to improve.

Still, there was only so much one could do in the dark, and Neji was getting impatient to go in. he glanced over at Hinata, still engrossed in her training. He was proud, and yet he had to interrupt.

"Hinata-sama, it's getting late." Hinata paused in her movements and turned to face him. "We should head inside, if you are ready."

Hinata looked surprised. "You were waiting for me?"

"…" Why else would he still be outside? "It has been dangerous lately," he said slowly. "I was merely watching out for you."

Hinata reddened. "Oh," she said hastily, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize—" She broke off, tucking a lock of hair behind one ear. "I didn't think you should be alone, either. I was waiting for you." She looked so embarrassed, so abashed, and yet so earnest, that Neji had nothing to say.

Instead, he stifled a sigh, turned on his heel, and beckoned for her to follow. "Thank you, Hinata-sama."

"Any time, Neji-niisama."

The light coming from the house sent their shadows spilling over the earth. They were very close together. They looked so similar.

* * *

I think the prompt 'bird-watching' needs some explanation. Neji's the bird, obviously (I _know _it's not really like that for him anymore, but whatever, it fits), and Hinata is watching him. You see? :D


	43. Deidara & Konan, Maintenance

For **aniuwolfe  
Pairing: **Deidara x Konan  
**Word count: **653**  
Prompt: **arguing over feminine things, the rest of Akatsuki  
**Notes: **CRACK.

-x-

At the beginning, Deidara hadn't known about Konan. He didn't know there was a woman in Akatsuki, and he hadn't expected that woman to be the leader's _partner_.

He didn't think it unreasonable to presume that Akatsuki was male-only. Kisame accused him of sexism, but it was more that, well, the idea of an evil organization bent on ruling the world just didn't mesh with the idea of separate bathrooms and sleeping quarters and accidentally stumbling in on a half-dressed woman on her way out of the shower.

And that, unfortunately, was just how Deidara met Konan.

Luckily, she didn't react, didn't scream or throw a shampoo bottle at him. Instead she narrowed her eyes, said, "Get out," and returned to slathering on conditioner.

Deidara snorted. "That'll damage your hair."

Konan didn't even look at him. "Why are you still in here?"

"You'll get dandruff," he said.

_That _made her pause. Then she scoffed, continuing to rub the conditioner in. "I know my hair," she said. "Get out before I call Leader-sama."

Deidara couldn't run fast enough.

-x-

Konan didn't get dandruff. Deidara stole her conditioner one day – he _was _Akatsuki, after all – and the next day, Kisame casually mentioned the white flakes on his cloak.

Deidara decided that there was no justice in the world, and went out to toss around a few hunter-nin out of frustration.

-x-

Deidara once again stumbled in on Konan while she was showering. This time, she was using body wash.

"Is this becoming a regular thing?" she asked, scrubbing a loofah over her arms. For a moment, Deidara watched, open-mouthed. Then Konan cleared her throat and he snapped out of his daze.

"That body wash will dry out your skin and you'll be ugly," Deidara said, then turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

A few days later, when she passed him in the hall, Konan reached out and brushed Deidara's bare wrist with hers. She didn't look at him, even when he spun around to gape at her.

Her skin was baby-soft, and Deidara hated her.

-x-

Deidara went to the meeting to listen to Leader, but he only had eyes for Konan, whose hair was different: it was in a high ponytail, not unlike his own, if much shorter.

"Your hair's going to fall out, you know," Deidara said, cutting off Leader's speech. The entire team fell silent, drawing in a collective breath.

Konan raised an eyebrow.

"Do you mind?" Leader said through gritted teeth.

"If you tie your hair with elastics, it'll start to fall out," Deidara repeated, ignoring him – a first in Akatsuki – "And even your fancy conditioner won't save you."

Konan just stared at him. Deidara was feeling rather smug until Kakuzu asked, "How do you know what conditioner she uses? No, _why _do you know?"

"Because," Deidara said without thinking, still feeling triumphant, "I've seen her using it."

Another sharp intake of breath, and the atmosphere seemed suddenly colder. A small smirk teased Konan's lips and Deidara, realizing what he had just said, and in front of _who_, felt the blood drain out of his face.

"Deidara," Leader said tightly, "We need to talk."

-x-

Konan walked in while Deidara was taking a shower, trying to nurse his Leader-inflicted injuries and feeling very sorry for himself. He yelped, tried to cover himself, and looked around frantically for Leader. Konan ignored him, shutting the door silently behind her and moving towards him. Deidara shrank back, alarmed. What was she going to do to him?

"Relax," Konan said irritably. She leaned forward, Deidara leaned back—

And she held out a bottle of lotion towards him.

"This will help your wounds," she said. Deidara stared at the bottle. "Trust me."

Well, she _would _know…

Deidara took the bottle. Konan left, and he examined it for traps, then shrugged and rubbed a dollop into his bruised shoulder.

It smelled like Konan.

Deidara grinned.

* * *

Not implying that Pein would _ever _hurt Konan, of course. I mean, she _did _have his child (you know, Sakura?).


	44. Itachi & Sakura, Pass it On

For **kyo12591  
Pairing: **ItaSaku  
**Word count: **572**  
Prompts: **forbidden, rival, arguments  
**Notes: **I feel bad that these are so short. But they're coming out fast, right? :D Requests will be opened again soon!

-x-

That was Sasuke's old teammate, the Kyuubi container's good friend, the medic, camped out in the woods. Itachi would recognize her anywhere.

"That's not her," Kisame said. "She looks _nothing _like your brother's teammate. Look, her hair's short."

What an idiot. "Kisame. She has _pink hair_."

"So?"

"…" How many girls did Kisame _think _had pink hair? "We need to go see her."

Kisame looked appalled. "What? _Why?_ I don't spear little girls, Itachi. It goes against my beliefs."

"We aren't spearing her," Itachi said. "We're passing along a message to her teammate."

"You've got the wrong girl, I'm telling you."

Moron. Itachi hated Akatsuki.

-x-

Sakura had just closed her eyes for a ten-minute power-nap when, alerted to an approaching presence, she opened her eyes—

And saw the most notorious criminal from her village standing not two feet away.

"Hello, Sakura," Itachi said. Sakura didn't even have time to wonder how he knew her name; she was too busy trying to remember how to _breathe_.

"I'm not here to hurt you," he went on, very matter-of-fact. He stepped closer, and Sakura shrank back. He crouched down before her so they were eye-to-eye, and even though Sakura knew it was wrong, she couldn't help but notice that he was… well, _very _good-looking. He _was _Sasuke's brother, though, she reminded herself. Of course he would be attractive. That didn't change the fact that he was a murderer.

She had yet to speak, which was fine by Itachi. He continued.

"I want you to pass a message on to your teammate," he said.

At that, Sakura couldn't stay silent. Her voice shook, but her words were laced with venom: "Stay away from Naruto."

Itachi looked genuinely surprised. "Not Naruto," he said. "Sasuke." And Sakura had no time to question him, before Itachi leaned down and kissed her.

He kissed her, long and hard, coaxed open her mouth and felt her melt against him because, even though he was an S-class criminal and mass murderer, Uchiha Itachi was a _fantastic _kisser.

He pulled away and saw her heavy-lidded eyes, her reddened cheeks, and her mouth, hanging open in utter shock. As he watched, Sakura reached up a shaking hand to touch her lips lightly, entirely alarmed by what he had just done to her – and, Itachi was willing to bet, her reaction to it.

"You just," she sputtered. "You kissed me!"

Itachi raised one eyebrow minutely. "Indeed." And then, just to see her reaction, he leaned down and did it again. This time she sighed into his mouth, her arms slipping up over her shoulders of their own accord, before she jerked and broke away.

She looked absolutely petrified.

Itachi was a peaceful person, unlike the rest of Akatsuki, but he _was _a bit of a sadist.

He turned, smothering his amusement, and said, "Say hello to Sasuke for me."

And then he left.

-x-

Sasuke was finally able to get his revenge. It came as much of a relief to Itachi that it did to his brother, he was sure. Still, he had guided Sasuke to this one moment, this one goal. Sasuke was powerful now, but he still needed something else, something he wouldn't think of himself, Itachi knew.

As Itachi drew his last breaths, he couldn't resist taking one final jab at his _foolish _little brother.

"Ask Sakura," he rasped, ignoring how Sasuke's eyes widened in confusion, "Who her first kiss was."


	45. Kiba & Sakura, Exposed

For **Sun-diva  
pairing: **KibaSaku  
**Word count: **1,774**  
Prompt: **"I have a history of taking off my shirt."  
**Note: **Yay OTP. :D  
Also, guys, 900 reviews? Really? I only hit 800 a little while ago. You guys are _fantastic._

-x-

Naruto wanted to train with Team Eight. Ever since Hinata's confession, he was paying more and more attention to the girl. And now that Sasuke was back and his promise to Sakura fulfilled, well, there wasn't anything left to do for his own team, so he set his sights on another.

"Naruto has some sort of complex," Sakura said.

"But he's so simple-minded," Sasuke pointed out.

Even though Naruto could make friends easily with people from other teams, Sakura was a little more shy when it came to anyone but Ino and Lee, and Sasuke didn't really like anyone at all, so while Naruto sparred with both Shino and Hinata at once, Sakura and Sasuke trained alone in their own corner of the field until Kiba deigned to join them.

"Hey, Sakura," he said. "How good's your aim?"

"Pretty good," she said. "Why?"

"Because I need someone to practice my agility with," Kiba said. "Everyone keeps hitting me."

Sakura laughed. "Okay. But, you know, Sasuke-kun's better with long-range fighting. Why don't you ask him?"

Kiba flicked a glance at Sasuke, who was pretending to ignore them as he trained, then eased closer to her, lowering his voice. "Well, to be honest," he said, "I'm kind of scared of Sasuke…"

His voice was rough and teasing and Sakura laughed again. She was doing a lot of that lately. "He's not so bad. Come on, we'll both work on you. Double the training!"

She didn't give Kiba the chance to argue, instead trotted over to Sasuke and asked him to join them. Sasuke looked over her head at Kiba, who was looking rather disappointed. Which, naturally, meant he had to agree.

-x-

"This is too easy for him," Sakura complained. She tossed up a medium-sized boulder and punched it smack in the center, sending shards flying at Kiba. He ducked, rolled, dodged them all.

Sasuke didn't answer. He was in the treetops, raining kunai and shuriken down at Kiba, who skillfully avoided them all, much to Sasuke's frustration.

"Naruto! We need your help!" Sakura called, and Naruto came bounding over, Hinata and Shino following closely.

"What?" Kiba said, distracted. "Oi! Sakura! I can't do that!"

"You _have _to!" Sakura called back gleefully, setting the newcomers to work. Kiba wiped away the sweat trickling down his brow and picked up the pace.

But he was tired and hot, and when he grumbled a "Slave-driver" at Sakura, he lost his concentration for a split-second, which was enough for Sasuke to launch a roaring ball of fire at him.

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata yelped, scurrying to his side when he dropped to the earth. Sakura wasn't far behind.

"I hate you," Kiba informed Sasuke weakly.

Sasuke looked rather smug.

Sakura patted the smoldering hem of Kiba's shirt, then set to work. "Shirt comes off," she said. "Naruto, help him."

"Ew," Naruto said.

"_Naruto."_

"Ew," Kiba said, then peeled off his shirt himself, wincing as his burned skin peeled and cracked.

Hinata looked queasy. Sakura spared her a glance, then said, "Give him some privacy, guys. Go back to training."

Naruto eyed Kiba suspiciously. "If you try anything on her, Sasuke will Chidori your ass."

Kiba looked at Sasuke, who appeared only too eager to do just that, and swallowed.

"Sasuke-kun, stop trying to prove you're better than everyone," Sakura admonished, shooing him away.

"I _am _better than everyone," Kiba heard him grumble, before he left, and he and Sakura were alone.

"I'm sorry," she said. "He gets a little too into training."

"Oto will do that to you," Kiba said. "No worries."

"You did really well, though." Sakura held her hands over him. "This may sting a little."

It stung a lot, but Kiba wasn't about to let _her _know that.

-x-

"It's _hot_," Sakura complained.

"Should I fan you, Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura blinked, lifting her head from where she was lying, collapsed on the grass after a spar with her sensei. "Would you?"

"No," he said lightly. "But I thought it polite to offer."

Sakura didn't understand this.

"If you were a guy, Sakura-chan, you could take your shirt off!" Naruto said, even though he refused to strip off his own shirt.

"Shut it," Sakura said.

Sasuke looked even hotter than she felt. Sakura felt a bit sorry for him, in all his dark clothing. Of course, Sasuke would never take off an article of clothing anywhere his fangirls could catch him.

"Hinata must be boiling," Sakura said, glancing at the members of Team Eight, who were training with them yet again. She had a feeling Shino and Kiba only agreed to do so for the opportunity to learn from Kakashi, especially since Kurenai was on leave due to being in her third trimester. "Why doesn't she take off her jacket?"

"Because she's weird," Sasuke said, sitting beside Sakura to take a long drink from his water bottle.

"You're mean," Sakura said. Still, Kiba had taken off his coat, and she could understand why Shino might not want to, but why was Hinata still bundled up?

as she watched, Hinata fanned her cheeks, which were growing flushed from the heat, and Sakura sat up, concerned. "Hinata," she called out, getting to her feet and walking towards her. "You're going to overheat. Take off your coat."

Hinata flicked a glance at Naruto. He didn't appear to notice, though Sakura did, and sighed inwardly. Hinata's outfit couldn't be that bad – unless it was sticking to her from the sweat…

She unzipped her jacket, slowly. Indeed, her shirt was clinging to her, though not indecently.

"Better, right?" Sakura asked, holding out a hand for Hinata's jacket.

"Um," Hinata said, gripping the hem. "I prefer to train with it on…"

There was a rustle of fabric, and Sakura turned to look at Kiba.

"Gross," Naruto said. "Put your clothes back on."

Kiba shrugged, tossing his shirt aside. "It's hot." The back of his neck was red, Sakura saw, when he turned. He was embarrassed. There was another rustle, and Sakura turned to see that Hinata had tossed aside her own jacket, no longer embarrassed. Thanks to Kiba.

Sakura smiled, touched.

"That was sweet," she whispered to Kiba as she passed him to continue her training. He refused to meet her eye.

-x-

Sakura liked Team Eight a lot, though she couldn't help wonder when, if ever, she would go back to training with only her own team.

"Is he always this late?" Kiba asked after a half hour of waiting.

Sakura smiled. "Kakashi-sensei won't be here for another two hours, at least. It's Naruto and Sasuke-kun who are late." They were side-by-side, waiting on the bridge for the rest of their teammates. Sakura had been the first to arrive, and even _she _was surprised by Sasuke's tardiness. He, at least, wasn't one to waste time.

"Naruto's a bad influence," he said. "Hinata's never been late to training before."

Sakura grinned. "Let her live a little dangerously, Kiba. Stop being such a _dad_."

He sputtered. "I am not—I'm _cool!" _He looked deeply offended. "_Shino's _the dad in our team!"

"Then what are you?" Sakura asked, bumping his shoulder. "The mom?" Her voice was light, teasing, but Kiba was not amused.

He swung around to face her, stepping closer so they were toe-to-toe, and stared her down. For her part, Sakura only lifted her chin defiantly and stood her ground.

"You aren't funny," he growled.

"And here I thought I was hilarious," she said. "Good thing I have great hair, then."

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "So modest." It was his turn to tease. "Bet that hair takes a lot of effort."

"Not like when it was long," she said. "But yeah, it does. More than yours, surely."

Kiba flicked a glance at the water around them. "Bet it would suck if it got wet, huh."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare."

Kiba smirked, leaning closer. "Is that a challenge?"

"More like a warning," she said, trying to put some space between them. "I—"

"Oi! _What are you two doing?!"_

Kiba jerked, startled, and spun around to explain to Naruto, who had just arrived with Hinata. Unfortunately, as he did so, he bumped into Sakura, who lost her balance and tumbled backwards, grasping out towards Kiba for support as she fell—

—Right over the railing.

Kiba blinked water from his eyes. "Some kunoichi," he deadpanned.

In response, Sakura smacked him on the shoulder.

He winced, then stood in the shallow water and began to wade to the shore, stripping off his shirt as he did so.

"You keep making me take off my clothes," Kiba said. "I think you like me."

Sakura flushed, but didn't have to answer, because Naruto, overhearing this, flung a kunai at Kiba, distracting him easily.

"Stop hitting on Sakura!"

Kiba didn't know how to reply to that. He snuck a glance at her as he moved to meet Naruto and Hinata. She was still standing in the water, looking confused and rather flustered.

Okay, so she was kind of pretty.

-x-

"I really like you," Kiba said one day, right outside the hospital doors when Sakura left after her shift. Sakura looked startled. Naruto cleared his throat, and Kiba flushed, looking annoyed. "But I should warn you that I have poor table manners, I wake up late, I suck at mission reports…"

"And he smells like _dog_," Naruto added gleefully.

Kiba threw him a dirty look. "I do not! But, uh, I seem to… I have a history of taking off my shirt," he said, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples tiredly. Naruto nodded beside him, looking satisfied. "At least in front of you."

"He's a man-slut," Naruto informed Sakura cheerfully. She stared at him, then Kiba, who had dropped his hand and now stood looking at her, clearly uncomfortable.

"But I really like you," Kiba went on. "And if you give me a chance, I'll prove it. I'm a nice guy, you said so yourself. And I'm—" He broke off to glare at Naruto, who had just elbowed him in the ribs – hard, judging by the way he winced. "What?!"

"We didn't discuss this," Naruto hissed.

"Shut _up_, Naruto," Kiba and Sakura said in unison.

He scowled, but complied.

"Give me a chance," Kiba said.

Sakura glanced at Naruto, watching them closely. Well, if that was how he wanted to play it, he would have to deal with the consequences.

She stepped forward, slid a hand behind Kiba's neck, and pulled him towards her.

"Ew, Sakura-chan!" Naruto moaned, covering his eyes. _"Why?"_

Sakura paused an inch from Kiba's lips and laughed.

Kiba was rather disappointed.


	46. Sasuke & Sakura, Ryoma

For **AGENT KELL  
Pairing: **SasuSaku  
**Word count: **669**  
Prompts: **tennis, "mada mada dane"  
**Notes: **Continuation of chapter ten. And God, it's been a _really _long time since my last SasuSaku drabble. That's cuz everyone wants KibaSaku. YEAH MAN.

-x-

Sakura was doing it again. She was reading that _stupid _manga. Sasuke could see it, tucked behind her bowl of ramen. Naruto wasn't paying attention – even his precious Sakura-chan came second to ramen when he was hungry – but Sasuke was. Sasuke _saw_ – saw her smile, saw her gaze sharpen in interest, saw the tender way she flipped the pages.

Damn that Ryoma kid, anyway. What did he have that Sasuke didn't? A tennis racket? Big deal. Sasuke _breathed_ _fire_.

"Sakura," he snapped. She held up a hand, not even looking away from the manga, and Sasuke twitched. Didn't she know it was rude to read during a meal? Plus it would mess with her digestive system.

So really, he was looking out for her when he reached around Naruto and snatched the manga from her.

"Hey!"

"You can have this after you eat," he lied, setting the book beside him. Ryoma glared up at him from the cover, and Sasuke flipped it over irritably.

Sakura glared at him; Sasuke glared right back. Why was she still reading this? She had _him_, dammit! Sure, he had only taken her out to eat that one time, but still. Didn't she get the message? Stupid girl.

"Stop being jealous," Naruto said, waving Ayame over for another bowl. He grinned at Sasuke, eyes alight with amusement. "He doesn't even exist. It's not like he can _do _anything to Sakura-chan."

Sasuke didn't like the way Naruto raised his eyebrows at Sasuke, as if they were in on some joke together. Naruto was so annoying. Sasuke pushed him, face-first, into his fresh bowl of steaming-hot ramen.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura snapped, handing Naruto napkins and a glass of cold water to wipe his face.

Sasuke ignored her and tossed _Prince of Tennis _into the pot of ramen over the counter.

-x-

"Where's my manga?" Sakura demanded the next day, stepping very close to Sasuke. He stepped back, then stepped forward again, even closer, so she wouldn't think he was scared of her. Even though he was, a little.

"When do you even have time to read it?" he asked. If she wasn't at the hospital, she was training. And if she wasn't training, she was with Naruto, who required constant supervision, or with him, and he required being looked at more than some dinky twelve-year-old.

"I _make _time," she said impatiently. "Give it to me!"

"I lost it," Sasuke said smugly.

Sakura gaped at him.

"Stop wasting your time on kids," he said. "That kind of thing can get you arrested."

Sakura coughed something that sounded suspiciously like "Orochimaru!"

"That wasn't funny," he said.

"Your _face _isn't funny," she snapped in reply. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.

"No shit," he said. His face was beautiful.

Sakura waved a hand, looking equal parts flustered and angry. "I want my manga!"

"_Why?" _he demanded. "Real guys aren't enough?"

Her jaw dropped, and she sputtered, "What – are… are you _jealous?" _She looked absolutely delighted. Clearly, she was spending too much time with Naruto.

Sasuke felt his cheeks growing hot and cleared his throat. "No," he lied, "Don't flatter yourself."

Sakura didn't look convinced. She was still grinning at him, cheeks glowing with pink.

"_Real boys_," she said, eyeing him pointedly, "Don't have catch-phrases."

"Real boys have better things to do with their mouths," Sasuke said, and leaned down, and kissed the most _oblivious _girl on the planet. It was convenient to be standing so close to her, so that she was forced to press up against him and—

He pulled back. "Always leave them wanting more," Itachi had advised him once, back when Sasuke didn't know what that meant. He had thought it had something to do with shuriken.

Even though Itachi sucked eggs for confusing Sasuke so completely, he knew girls, so Sasuke wasn't surprised to see Sakura's eyes darken, see her breathing heavily.

But then she shook her head, lips quirking into a grin. "Mada mada dane," she said, laughing when his eyes narrowed, then pulled him down again.

* * *

_Mada mada dane _– a phrase commonly used by Ryoma, meaning "No, not yet," or "You have a ways to go." Yeah, I Wiki-ed.


	47. Shino & Temari, Apologize

For **Masu Trout  
pairing: **Shino x Temari  
**Word count: **1,068**  
Prompt: **fear of bugs  
**Notes: **Continuation of the last ShinoTemari, back in drabble thirteen.  
Also, guys, people keep giving me requests, which is okay, but I really want to keep them closed for a bit longer. So please hold on to any requests you may have for a bit longer.

-x-

Surprisingly, Shino remembered their plan to spar. He hadn't seemed all that sincere when he mentioned a possible spar in the future, and Temari had figured that he was just saying it to make her feel better. A throwaway idea, she decided.

She should have known that Shino wouldn't waste words like that; he had only said a handful of sentences to her the first time they met, after all.

But when she went looking for him to ask about the possibility of a spar in the future – even if he hadn't meant it, she was rather interested in the idea – he seemed genuinely surprised.

"Of course," he said. "I assumed you had accepted."

They were in the training fields. Shino had been practicing his aim, from what Temari had gathered. He was probably just warming up, she hoped, or this could prove to be a very dull spar.

"Well, wanna go now?" she asked, trying not to look too eager.

Shino inclined his head. She couldn't tell if that was a nod or not.

Irritated, Temari spread her arms and legs in a battle stance. "Well, let's—" She broke off at a movement against her arm. Looked down.

There was an enormous bug – something grotesque, with wings – resting on her arm.

Temari screamed.

Immediately, Shino was by her side, and the bug had flown off.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Nothing. A bug," she admitted, cheeks hot with embarrassment. Why did she keep embarrassing herself in front of this guy? It was getting annoying. "It just surprised me." That much was true. Konoha's climate was such that there were bugs _everywhere_, unlike in Suna. They had their share, but Temari knew how to handle them. Or, more specifically, how to avoid them.

Shino stared at her. "A bug," he echoed. Temari felt herself blush deeper.

"I hate bugs," she snapped. "So what?"

Shino looked at her – or so she presumed. He didn't speak for a moment.

"Most people don't," he finally said. He turned away from her, crouching to pull a kunai from where it was embedded in the dry earth.

Temari watched him, at a loss for words. What was wrong? What did she say? She was scared of bugs. It was embarrassing, but true. Maybe Shino thought she was a wimp. In addition to being a klutz, and totally uncoordinated. He was probably thinking that Suna shinobi were overrated. Damn. She was so stupid.

"So," she said, thinking hard. There was only one way she knew of to impress. "Ready to spar?"

Shino paused. His back was to her, and Temari thought he tensed, but she couldn't be sure, not with the heavy coat he wore.

"Maybe we should hold off on that," he said finally. And before Temari could protest, he walked off.

He left his kunai behind.

Temari was very confused.

-x-

"Aburame?" Kankuro echoed, later that evening. Temari stood in front of him, rolling her eyes.

"Yes. Aburame. I'm sparring with this kid, Shino, and I need to prove to him that I kick butt. What do you know about him? Temari asked impatiently.

Kankuro _tsk_ed, wagging a finger in her face. "That's cheating," he sang. "You make Gaara look bad."

In response, Temari sank an elbow in his gut.

"Aburame," Gaara said. "Shino? He went on a mission with Sakura a while back."

Temari remembered that. That was when she met him.

"It is so cute how you remember these things," Kankuro wheezed, doubled over and clutching his stomach. "It's like you love her."

Gaara glared at Kankuro. "I'll kill you," he said flatly. Then he turned to Temari. "The Aburame clan has a special ability – their use of Kikaichu." At Temari's blank look, he sighed, wondered when his siblings would start paying attention to neighbouring villages, and clarified: "Insects."

"Gross," Temari said automatically. Then her eyes widened.

She was _so stupid._

-x-

He was there, at the training grounds, when she reached them. That was lucky for Temari; if he wasn't there yet, she would have waited until he arrived. And then she would look like a stalker.

"Hey, um, _you_," she called. Shino turned, not appearing in the least bit surprised to see her there. He had probably heard her coming. That, or a ladybug told him.

Temari stifled a shudder at the thought.

"Hello," Shino said. Then he went back to his training.

"Uh," Temari said, "Can we spar?"

"I don't think we should," Shino said. "I have a technique—"

"The bug thing," Temari cut in quickly. "I know. But… that works out in your favor, right? Your technique scares me. You have an advantage against me."

_Not that you can beat me, even so_, Temari thought smugly.

Shino just stared at her, and Temari felt herself grow nervous. Was that not the right thing to say?

"You're scared of bugs," he said finally.

Temari blinked. "Uh, yes."

"You hate bugs."

She winced. "No, I just—"

"You said you hate bugs yesterday. Right?"

She sighed. "Right. But—"

"I think," Shino said, ignoring her, "You owe the bugs an apology."

Temari stared.

Shino waited.

"What," she sputtered, "What the _hell?_"

His expression didn't change – not that she could tell if it did, she thought irritably. Shino only tilted his head slightly, thoughtfully, and said, "They're living creatures. They have feelings, too."

"…"

Shino appeared to be dead serious. Temari sighed, hating her life.

"Okay," she said. "How do I do this?"

Shino gestured to himself. "Just say it. They'll hear you."

"Okay." She took a breath; she couldn't believe she was doing this. "Bugs," she began tentatively, "I'm sorry for saying I hate you. I don't. I'm sure you're all very cool and…" She stifled another shudder. "Yeah. Sorry." She stared up at him, trying hard not to scowl. "Satisfied?"

"Yes." He turned away from her again, but not before she could see a tightening in his cheek, an expression (was that even the _word? _God, Konoha shinobi were so weird, with their stoicism) she had seen once before.

He was smiling. He was amused. By her.

"Shall we spar?" he said in, she could tell, a forced monotone.

Damn him.

She pulled out a kunai and said, through gritted teeth, "We shall."

"Be careful with that," Shino said, gesturing to the kunai in her freshly-healed palm.

Damn him times infinity. Him and his stupid bugs.


	48. Naruto & Sasuke, Anger Issues

For **allurement  
Pairing: **Naruto x femme!Sasuke  
**Word count: **734**  
Prompts: **furry handcuffs, hangover Mondays  
**Notes: **Don't judge me. I don't pick the pairings; I just write them. Also, this is most definitely AU. In addition, this is strictly crack, but **allurement **herself has written the most _beautiful _NaruFasu ever, _Something Beautiful. _It – and she – are in my favs, and I strongly urge everyone to read the fic, even if the pairing is really weird.

-x-

Sasuke was bent over the washing machine, trying to figure it out (to no avail) when the voice came from behind her.

"I could wake up to this every morning."

_Naruto_.

Sasuke tried to count to ten, gave up after three, and whirled around to see Naruto slumped in the doorway, squinting.

"Go kill yourself, you dumbshit," she snapped.

Naruto scowled. "You know, you're gorgeous, but you're such a bitch. Take lessons from Sakura-chan. speaking of, where is she?"

"I don't know, I'm not her babysitter," she said. "She didn't come home last night. Probably at Kiba's." Sasuke paused, then added, grudgingly, "Are you okay? You look like shit."

"Soooo hungover," Naruto moaned, closing his eyes and bringing a hand to his head. "I hate Mondays."

"Then stop drinking every Sunday," Sasuke said, turning back to the washing machine. "Idiot."

Naruto said nothing.

Sasuke sighed.

"Give me a second," she said irritably. "Sakura has some medicine in the washroom. I'll get it for you."

"I love you," Naruto said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You are pathetic," Sasuke sneered.

-x-

When Sasuke graduated high school, she moved out of her house and to an apartment where her brother couldn't find her. She roomed with a girl named Sakura, who was okay, and through her met Naruto who was, in a word, _annoying_.

Naruto was an old friend of Sakura's, and lived directly across the hall, so Sasuke was, unfortunately, stuck with him. Naruto was loud and obnoxious and _stupid_ and, worst of all, had a key to their room, and usually barged in without knocking to eat their food.

Sasuke supposed she could have moved out, to get away from her blond stalker. But it was too much hassle. Sakura just laughed when she said this.

Sasuke led Naruto into her apartment and wondered why he didn't just look for the medicine himself. It wasn't like Naruto had any respect for people's privacy.

"Sakura's last roommate was such a slob," Naruto said, looking around the apartment, which was impeccably neat.

"Idiot," Sasuke said, walking into the bathroom, "_You _were her last roommate."

Naruto followed her in, and stood leaning against the doorframe, watching her. "Yeah. Then she started bringing Kiba back at night." He shuddered. "It was horrible."

"Hn."

Naruto was silent for a minute. Then he exclaimed, eyes widening, "What the hell are those?"

"What?" Sasuke peered into the medicine cabinet. She didn't see anything. Did Naruto see a tampon?

"Those – those… _fuzzy handcuffs_," he said, swooping down to snatch them out from beneath a fresh bottle of shampoo. He dangled them in front of Sasuke's nose. He looked furious. "Are these _Sakura's_?"

Not like they would be _hers_. Sasuke stared at him.

"I'll _kill _Kiba," Naruto was muttering, staring at the handcuffs. "_Kill him_."

Sasuke finally found the medicine and held it out to Naruto. He didn't seem to notice.

Sasuke thought of Sakura. She was a good roommate, and she loved Kiba. Not only did she not want some drama to unfold between the three of them, but she wanted Naruto _out of her apartment_.

"They're not hers," Sasuke said, snatching the handcuffs from Naruto and stifling the urge to boil her hand. "They're mine."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"They're mine," she repeated irritably. "You moron."

He was starting to smile. "Yours? Those handcuffs are _yours_?" She nodded, and he burst out laughing. "Yeah, right!"

Sasuke glared at him. What, he didn't think her capable of… whatever you did with handcuffs? She tossed the handcuffs back into the medicine cabinet and switched on the tap to wash her hands. Seeing this only made Naruto laugh harder.

"Nice try, priss."

"Bite me."

Naruto leered at her. Sasuke could see him in her reflection. She shifted uncomfortably, washing her hands a second time.

"Wanna show me they're yours?" he asked casually, poking her in the shoulder. He jerked his chin in the direction of her bedroom door. "In there?"

Sasuke whirled around, bringing her knee up…

-x-

Sakura came in an hour later. Naruto was huddled in the fetal position on the couch, groaning. She blinked at him, then turned to Sasuke, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a book and a bowl of tomato slices.

"Um," she began tentatively. "What's wrong with him?"

"Hangover," Sasuke said without batting an eye. She held out her bowl. "Tomato?"

From the couch, Naruto whimpered.


	49. Kiba & Sakura, Spotlight

**READ ME, I'M IMPORTANT. **So, a lot of people are continuing to give me requests, and I really have to put my foot down now. I've said, many times, that requests are closed. A few people still gave me them, and I took them, and it was okay, but honestly, guys, I'm trying to get fully caught up so we can start all over. I write one or two drabbles a day, but I can't catch up if they continue to pile up. So please, **please, stop giving me requests. **It's only for a while, and then I'll go back to taking them. Just, give me a break for a bit. Also, please avoid giving me a full summary of the drabble you want. I make my own plots. (Though you're free to tell me the kind of situation you want, like, "Sakura goes to the hair salon and sees Sasuke." That kind of thing.)

So yeah. Thanks. :D

For **SakuraRoxMySox  
pairing: **KibaSaku  
**Word count: **1,697**  
Prompts: **bars, dancing, drinking  
**Notes: **AU. Also, you have no idea how hard it was to avoid a total cliché here. But I _do _love a challenge. :D

-x-

Kiba saw her on the dance floor. Kiba _always _saw her on the dance floor. Every night, there she was, from when he entered the club at eleven, to when he left at three. She spent _four hours _on the dance floor, rarely stopping to sit or have a drink. Sometimes she was with friends. Sometimes she just made friends on the floor.

Kiba didn't know her name.

Shino and Hinata were his best friends, and they hated clubs, so Kiba usually went with Naruto, who was good friends with the bartender – a guy named Sasuke – and got them free drinks, or Ino, who had something going on with the DJ – Shikamaru – whose taste in music was _awesome_.

Once, he and Ino were with Shikamaru. Ino wanted to request a song and was being very flirty about it. Kiba wanted to gag, but instead looked out across the floor, searching, searching – and there she was. She was just stepping out onto the floor, a glass of water in her hands, and she twirled, raised her arms, threw back her head and laughed. The lights shined on her hair, and on her eyes, and on her smile, and they never moved away. She was the center of attention, and she knew it.

It took Kiba a month to muster up the courage to talk to her. Thirty nights of watching her, and he only managed a short, "Hey," when she was ordering a glass of water from the bar. Her hair – short, spiky, and _pink_, of all colors – was sticking to her cheeks with sweat, and the strap of her camisole was slipping. She pulled it back up.

"Hey," she said brightly. "Want to dance with me?"

He was an okay dancer, but anyone would look graceless and clunky beside her.

"No thanks," he said. "I'll be watching from the sidelines."

She didn't look creeped out. Instead, her smile brightened. "Cool," she said, and went back to the floor. Kiba watched her go. She pulled someone in to dance with her – a tall, skinny brunette she seemed to know – and, at one point, she looked over and met Kiba's gaze.

He raised his drink in salute to her. She grinned.

It took Kiba another ten minutes to realize Sasuke was watching him.

"What?" he asked defensively.

Sasuke just shook his head.

-x-

The next night, he was there, and she was there. She seemed to remember him.

"Hi!" she said. She was out of breath, having just come out from the dance floor for another glass of ice-cold water. Sasuke handed it to her without her even having to ask, and she took a long drink.

"You don't drink," Kiba observed. She never did.

"I don't," she agreed, pressing the glass against her flushed cheeks. "I come for the dancing."

"I come for you," Kiba said. He wasn't even flirting. He was just being honest. No one he knew – not even Naruto – had the kind of focused energy she did when she was on the dance floor.

She smiled, casting her gaze back to the dance floor with a kind of longing. "I hope that doesn't call for a restraining order," she said.

"I promise I'm not a creep," he said. "I just like watching you dance. You're good at it."

"I know," she said. Then she looked back at him, eyes gleaming in the dim lighting of the club, and reached out for his hand. "Dance with me?"

"Nah," he said. "You go. I'll watch."

She smiled at him and pushed away from the bar, bounding back into the center of the dance floor like she belonged there.

-x-

Kiba didn't go to the club one night. He thought of the girl until he went back, the next night. She was waiting for him at the bar. It was the first time he had seen her sitting there. She only ever sat to rest her legs, not to wait.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey there," she said. "I didn't see you yesterday."

"Yeah, I had a blind date," he said. It was embarrassing to admit, like he couldn't get his own dates.

Her smile dimmed. "Yeah? With who?"

"My friend's little sister," he said. "She has a crush on me, or something."

"Aw," she cooed. "That's cute."

Kiba thought of Hanabi and cringed. "Not really, no."

She laughed. "Did you have fun, at least?"

"No," he said. And then he decided to be totally honest: "I just thought of you."

She looked at him, surprised. But she was smiling. "That's good to hear," she said softly. "I thought of you, too."

Kiba wondered how he would feel if she was dancing with another guy. And not the guys she danced with sometimes, like that pale-haired guy who always came in with some redhead, or the guy with the bowl-cut. She treated them all like they were her best friends. How would she dance with a real guy?

"So," she said, cutting into his thoughts, "Are you going to dance with me tonight?"

"No," he said. She didn't look surprised. "But I'll be watching you."

-x-

About a week later, Kiba finally got her out of the club. The sat on one of the hard metal benches down the street. It was late July, and the night was pleasant and cool.

She was surprisingly open with him.

"I wanted to be a dancer," she said. "Still do."

Kiba didn't reply.

She leaned back into the bench, tipping her face to the sky. "My parents wouldn't let me. They wanted me to go into medicine. So I come here."

"Every night," he said.

"Every night," she agreed. "Better here than in my room, where no one can see me." She beamed at him. "Everyone watches me here."

"No kidding." She was so close, Kiba could see her glittery green eyeshadow. He wondered, vaguely, what it would be like to kiss her. "Why don't you just do what you want? It's your life."

"Why don't _you _do what _you _want?" she returned with a knowing smile.

"You're evading the question," Kiba said, leaned forward, and kissed her.

-x-

He went to the club with Naruto, took a seat on one of the couches in the back room. Naruto got drinks from Sasuke – Kiba didn't know what they were, but they burned his throat going down, so he was satisfied.

Ino promised to drop by later with a few friends, siblings they knew, from Suna. Until then, they were free – and bored. Kiba was relieved when _she _walked into the back room and found him.

The first thing she did was drop onto Kiba's lap. "Hey."

He smiled at her. "Hey yourself," he said, winding an arm around her. It was so natural to be with her, but so odd to see her off the dance floor yet again.

Naruto blinked when he saw her. "You're that girl I danced with last week!" he said.

"You're the one that stepped on my foot," she said with a smile, ignoring the way Naruto eyed the two of them, sitting so close. "I remember. That hurt, you know."

"Didn't stop you, though," Naruto observed.

"Not much can," she said.

"Is there any guy you _haven't _danced with?" Kiba asked, fingering a strand of her hair. He could smell her watermelon shampoo. It was so out of place in a club that reeked of smoke and sweat and alcohol.

"Of course," she said. "You."

He just looked at her as she turned to face him, her shoulder brushing his chest. "Will you dance with me tonight?"

"I'll watch," he said, just as he said every night.

She smiled. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

She stayed with him the rest of the night.

-x-

"You drink too much," she said, and Kiba turned, a fresh drink in his hand. She was sitting at the bar, yet again. He hadn't even seen her when he walked in. Somehow, she wasn't as bright when she wasn't dancing.

"Alcohol makes life better," he said, kissing her in greeting. "Kind of like dance does for you," he added. "Why aren't you out there?"

She smiled, looking longingly at the dance floor. "I'd rather be here. With you."

He stared at her for a moment. Much as he liked to hear those words, he didn't like the meaning behind them. She _belonged _on the dance floor.

"Dance with me," he said, and she immediately put his hand in his and led him to the floor. Like she had just been waiting for him to ask.

Kiba felt like an idiot, dancing next to her. She moved with so much grace, too much grace for a silly little club. He finally stopped moving to just watch her, with a heavy kind of sadness. She belonged to dance, not to medical school, not to a sweaty, seedy club, and definitely not to him.

She saw him watching her and stopped, pressing closer to him, a question in her eyes. He shook his head and leaned down so she could hear him over the music.

"I know it's kind of late, but…" He grinned. "I'm Kiba."

"I'm—" she began, but he put his hand over her mouth.

"Don't tell me. I'll find out on my own. When I see you up on a _real _stage."

She stared at him, eyes wide, and he let his hand drop. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

And then she – she of the graceful twirls and bright hair and brighter dreams – stepped closer, reached up, and pulled his head down, and kissed him, in the middle of her makeshift stage, with bodies pressing in on them on all sides, and the music thrumming in their veins.

She kissed him long and hard, and when she pulled away, she was breathing heavily.

"Don't forget me when you're a star, yeah?" Kiba said, disentangling himself from her grasp and stepping back. As he left the dance floor, he looked back, just once. She was staring at him, for once not moving.

Kiba went back to the club the next night. She wasn't there. It was kind of bittersweet.


	50. Shikamaru & Sakura, Clear Skies

For **ohwhatsherface  
Pairing: **ShikaSaku  
**Word count: **770**  
Prompt: **shades of blue  
**Notes: ****1,000 reviews! You guys rock.  
**

-x-

Shikamaru sighed.

"Go _away_," he said to his companion – though perhaps 'companion' was the wrong word for it. It wasn't as if he had _invited _her, or particularly enjoyed her _loud _and _distracting _company.

"But I don't _want _to," Sakura said, not even turning to look at him. She kept her eyes closed, face turned to the sky. Shikamaru was offended.

"You're just _lying there_," he said. "You're not even looking at the clouds. You can do this _at home_."

"But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of your company, would I?" she replied. "Now shut up, you're annoying."

Shikamaru snorted. _He _was annoying? _He _wasn't the one who had completely taken over another person's cloud-watching spot. Still, he fell silent, trying to ignore the girl lying beside him, not that it was easy.

He had been sent on a mission with Sakura and Lee a few days ago. They had returned to the village exhausted, so of course Lee ran off to bench-press trees. Shikamaru had shuffled off to his favorite cloud-watching spot and Sakura, not realizing that the mission was _over _and she didn't need to follow him anymore, followed. Shikamaru hadn't had the energy to send her away, so the two of them dropped down and passed out until evening.

The only problem was, she was _back_. And she kept coming back, _every day. _Didn't she have a job or something?

"Don't you have a job or something?" he demanded.

"That's rich, coming from you." Sakura opened her eyes and flipped over onto her stomach, eyeing him. "I'm doing the night shift this week."

She stared up at the sky, cupping her chin in her palms, swinging her legs in the air. "The sky is very _blue_."

Shikamaru could feel a headache coming on. "Yes, Sakura, the sky _is _blue. I thought you were smart?"

"_Someone's _in a bad mood," Sakura observed.

"I wonder why," he said, folding his arms behind his head to stare up at the sky. She was right: it _was _very blue, very clear. It was a nice day.

"I know what you're thinking," Sakura sang. When Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her, she smiled. "That the color of the sky is the same shade of blue as Ino's eyes."

Shikamaru grunted. "Is it?"

"Not really," she said. "More like Naruto's."

Whatever. Blue was blue was blue. He wasn't getting into this discussion with her. He wasn't getting into _any _discussion, actually. He wanted to sleep.

Sakura rolled over onto her back again. Shikamaru was very aware of her soft breathing beside him, the tips of her hair brushing his arms. Annoying woman.

"Shikamaru? Are you asleep already?"

"Yeah," he said, keeping his eyes closed. He felt Sakura move to prop herself up on her elbows, could imagine her scowling down at him. So _troublesome_.

He opened his eyes. "What."

"I'm bored."

"Then sleep."

"I _can't _sleep."

"What do you want me to do, then?" he asked. "Sing to you?"

She brightened. "Would you?"

"No."

Sakura sighed. "You're no fun."

"And _you're _troublesome. Go away."

Sakura huffed and sat up. "Fine!" She got to her feet, scowled down at him. "I'll leave. But you'll miss me! You'll be begging me to come back!"

Shikamaru sincerely doubted that, but he didn't say anything, just let her stomp away.

Then he closed his eyes. Ah, peace and quiet.

-x-

The peace and quiet was getting on his nerves.

Shikamaru sighed, drumming his fingers on the hard earth beneath them. It had only been three days of being back to his regular, un-Sakura-filled routine, and he was _so bored._

_Then sleep_, he told himself, closing his eyes. A moment later, they flew open again. _I _can't _sleep_, he thought, and remembered having this very exchange with Sakura just a few days ago.

_What do you want me to do? _his brain asked him (he wasn't quite sure how that worked).

Shikamaru considered.

-x-

Shikamaru came up behind Sakura silently as she left the hospital for home, looking tired. She could use a good nap, he thought, and leaned down to tell her so.

She jumped, startled, when her breath hit her neck, his voice hit her ear.

"I think the sky's the exact shade of Ino's eyes today."

"Nope," she said automatically, already turning around to face him. "It's Naruto's."

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah? Prove it."

Sakura stared at him, then broke out into a wide smile. She slid her hand into Shikamaru's, tugging him in the direction of his – _their _– favorite cloud-watching spot.

"You know," she said, teasing, "You could've just asked me back."


	51. Kiba & Sakura, Rain

**READ ME, PLEASE: **Okay, you might notice that this collection hasn't been updated in forever. Also that it was marked as 'complete' for a bit. Also that I said in my bio that it was over.

Well… it's not. I've gotten a few requests over the past few months, and I finally realized that I missed writing these drabbles, and that it wasn't at all fair of me to just _stop_, without any warning. So, hopefully you guys are still interested, because I'm ready to go!

A few notes about requests: I may combine requests with the same pairing; I ask that you only give me one request at a time; and, of course, we're only going to 100. I'm giving fair warning this time!

Same rules – pairing and a prompt, be as specific about the style (tenses, POV, etc.) as you like, but don't give me summaries for prompts. Let's do this. Go forth and request!

For **RedMapleLeaf  
Pairing: **Kiba x Sakura  
**Word count: **1,061**  
Prompt: **tattoos  
**Notes: **sorry I didn't write your other request, RedMapleLeaf! It was giving me a lot of trouble. :( Also, totally made up the ninja-tattooing process.

-x-

Sakura failed the ANBU exam the first time she tried for it.

Halfway through, she realized _This is not what I'm meant to do. This is not what I _want _to do_, and then she stopped trying. Naruto promised to train with her until she retook it, and Ino bought her lunch in an attempt to cheer her up.

Sakura didn't tell them what had happened. She didn't know how to put it into words. What kind of kunoichi was she, not wanting to do the most she could to help her village?

Tsunade told her that, as a medic, there was nothing she could do as ANBU that she couldn't as a Jounin. Kakashi told her that ANBU needed a medic like her.

No one really had anything helpful to say.

On her way home from the hospital one evening, Sakura found Kiba. He was standing in the middle of the street, staring up at the sky. Sakura called out to him.

"Oh." He smiled at her. "Hey, Sakura."

"What were you doing?"

"Smelling the air."

"Smell—_what_?"

Kiba laughed, falling into step beside her. "Smelling the air. It's going to rain tonight. I like the smell before a storm." At her expression, he added wryly, "It's okay, I know it's kind of weird."

Sakura inhaled deeply. "No, I see what you mean," she says. "You can probably smell it better, though. I like the smell _after _a storm."

"That says something about us, doesn't it?"

"I guess." Sakura studied Kiba for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, but can you keep your gaze ahead as you do it? Watch your step," he said, grabbing her by the elbow and guiding her around a watermelon someone had dropped in the middle of the street.

Sakura blinked at the fruit. "Someone should clean that up."

"No kidding." Kiba dropped her arm and swung his own by his sides as they walked. Sakura didn't really know where they were going. Kiba lived in the opposite direction. "So what did you want to ask me?"

Now Sakura reddened. She and Kiba were hardly close. She didn't know if she was allowed to ask him favors. "Well…" She took a deep breath. "Can you give me a tattoo?"

Sakura kept her gaze straight ahead, even though she could feel Kiba looking at her. Great. Maybe she shouldn't have asked.

"Sure," he said finally, and Sakura's breath _whoosh_ed out of her with relief. Kiba noticed and laughed. "It's not a big deal. What do you want?"

Sakura coughed. "Um… an _'S'_."

"An '_S'_," Kiba echoed flatly.

"For _Sakura_," she said hastily. Then she slumped. Kiba was doing her a favor. The least she could do was be honest with him. "No, that was a lie. For _Sasuke_," she whispered.

Kiba was silent for a long moment, and Sakura worried that he was going to refuse her now. They came up to the front steps of her house and stopped. She braced herself and turned to face Kiba. He was watching her carefully, expression unreadable.

"I'll be back," he said abruptly, and turned on his heel.

"Wha—" Sakura started, reaching out to stop him.

"I'm going to get the stuff," Kiba said. You get in and wait for me. It's going to rain soon."

-x-

Kiba glanced at the window at the end of the room as he followed Sakura to the table. The blinds covered it, but the sound of rain pattering against the glass was loud in the silent apartment.

"You got here just in time."

"I guess so. So, where do you want it?"

Her hand automatically went to her right shoulder. Sakura swallowed. That wouldn't be allowed.

"Somewhere only I can see it," she said to Kiba. She hadn't thought it through enough.

Kiba eyed her for a moment. "Take off your shirt."

"_What?"_

Kiba held up his hands. "No, no! Not like that!" He looked sheepish. "I meant, uh…" He coughed, look9ing uncomfortable, and patted the left side of his chest.

Right above his heart.

Sakura blinked.

"If you want," he said. He wasn't looking at her. "I mean, it seems kind of…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Then again, if you're uncomfortable… I could ask my sister… I won't, uh, _look _anywhere," he added hastily.

Sakura had to bite back a smile. Kiba acted like a hotshot in front of girls, but he was more hopeless than Naruto.

She began unzipping her shirt. "I know you won't."

Kiba reddened and knelt down before her, brush in hand, to begin.

Sakura stared down at his head of spiky brown hair. "I didn't make ANBU," she said, not knowing why she was saying it, "But I still wanted a tattoo."

Kiba laughed softly. His breath hit her exposed skin. "I can understand that. But no one says you can't make it the next time. I failed my first time, too."

"Actually… I don't want to make it to ANBU."

Kiba didn't look up. "Why not?"

Sakura swallowed. She hadn't told anyone this. "Because," she whispered, "I don't want to be a hunter-nin."

Kiba leaned back, staring at the fresh black _S_ on Sakura's skin with new understanding. "But no one said you'd have to be a hunter-nin."

"Of course I would. Who has a better understanding of how to kill people than I do?"

Kiba looked up at her. His expression was, once again, unreadable. "This may sting a little," he said, and flashed through a jutsu to seal the tattoo on her skin. Sakura winced at the feeling of a thousand tiny needles pricking her skin, along the tattoo, but it faded in an instant. She traced the tattoo once, then, conscious of Kiba watching, re-zipped her shirt.

"I don't want to be ANBU," she said. "I can't be his enemy."

"Then don't," Kiba said. "We're not just ninja. We're people, too. People are allowed to choose for themselves."

Sakura was silent.

Kiba looked around the apartment. "The rain stopped," he said, and Sakura realized, by the silence, that he was right. She walked over to open the window, leaned her head out, and inhaled deeply. Then she turned back to Kiba. He was grinning at her.

"Come, try," she said. "It smells fresh."

"Yeah," he said, not moving, still grinning, "I know what you mean."


	52. Shikamaru & Ino, Dreamland

For** A. Annie. ****N  
Pairing: **ShikaIno  
**Word Count: **747  
**Prompt: **dreams**  
Notes: **this is kind of a weird piece, with no real plot, and much more sap than I usually write. I have my own ideas about what's happening here, but take it as you will. I was just playing around with some repetition and stuff here. I enjoyed writing it, anyway. Also, can you believe this is my first ShikaIno for TDB?

-x-

Shikamaru dreams.

He dreams of blue skies and rolling green hills. He dreams of snow that isn't cold and rain that isn't wet. He dreams of the sun on his face and the wind in his hair.

Shikamaru dreams.

-x-

Ino dreams.

She dreams of dressing up in the colors of the sunset. She dreams of roses in her hair and lilies on her wrists. She dreams of walking barefoot through the empty streets of her village as the birds sing her entrance.

Ino dreams.

-x-

Shikamaru sits up and smiles. His suit is rumpled and there is grass in his hair. He waits. He watches. He waits some more.

-x-

Ino smoothes down her hair and walks through the field. The grass tickles the bottom of her feet. Her pulse speeds up. She runs.

-x-

Shikamaru's heart stops when she appears. Every time he sees her, she looks more beautiful. She's adorned with flowers and wearing a long dress the color of beauty. She kneels beside him, and he takes her face in his hands. He kisses her like he never wants to stop, because he doesn't.

-x-

It's nice, Ino muses, how you don't have to breathe in a dream.

-x-

This is all Shikamaru can take from her, so he takes it all. He drinks her in. he cradles her face in his hands. He kisses her knuckles, her shoulder, the back of her neck. He lies back down and presses his palm flat against hers.

Beside him, Ino sighs.

-x-

They are not allowed to speak, but sometimes Ino wants to. She wants to ask why this never happens in real life, why Shikamaru never holds her this way when they're both wide awake. Instead, she tilts her face up to his and kisses him sweetly, hoping he'll remember when they're out in the real sun, and maybe he'll kiss her there, too.

Shikamaru pulls away and blurts, "I love you."

-x-

Shikamaru wakes up. He can still taste the words in his mouth, mingled with both satisfaction and regret.

-x-

Ino wakes up. She can still feel the burn of Shikamaru's fingers on the curve of her waist, pressing hard enough that she could feel them trembling.

-x-

In the morning, Shikamaru is distant. He waves hello to Ino, offers to buy Chouji lunch, goes away to nap. He lies wide-awake, staring up at the too-blue sky. The sunlight stings his eyes and the breeze is too strong.

Ino sits beside him.

-x-

Ino doesn't speak for a long moment. What does she say the morning after nothing _really _happened? It's hard to react normally to him, but she tries. She tries.

"You're not sleeping."

"Not tired."

"Got a proper night's sleep for once?" she teases. "What, fourteen hours? Fifteen?"

-x-

It was hard to fall asleep after that dream, but when he did, it was dreamless. Shikamaru shrugs. It wasn't the same without her. It'll never be the same again.

Shikamaru considers pulling her over him, letting her curtain of hair hide them away for a moment while she shows her everything he can never say, in dreams or out.

He pushes away the thought. He doesn't want to scare her. She's never going to feel the same.

-x-

Ino wonders if he can somehow read her mind and her memories of the night before. If only. If only he received the kiss she gave him in her dreams. If only he would kiss her now.

If only.

-x-

Shikamaru dreams. He dreams of sitting in the rain and getting chilled to the core. He dreams of being rooted to the ground by an unseen force, and looking through the shadows for some light.

He dreams of the clouds parting and the rain stopping. He dreams of the sun drying him off and filling him with warmth. He dreams of getting to his feet and striding forward, arms held out to her.

-x-

Ino dreams. She dreams of walking through fire and being burned along her arms and legs. She dreams of sharp shards of _something_ pricking her feet and making them bleed. She dreams of pressing on and looking for a way out.

She dreams of the walls of fire dying away and rain washing away her burns. She dreams of the leafy grass beneath her bare feet smoothing away the cuts and pain. She dreams of running into his arms.

-x-

"I love you," they say together.

They dream.


	53. Kiba & Sakura & Sasuke, The Reason Why

For **electric stars  
Pairing: **Sasuke/Sakura/Kiba  
**Word count: **1,182**  
Prompts: **Sakura on morphine, distraught Naruto, pervy Suigetsu  
**Notes: **So… I'm sure I didn't write that you were expecting for this prompt, but I really like how it turned out. I'm a bit over the constant crack, to be honest.  
Takes place after Sasuke's de-defection (you _know _it'll happen!), which is obvious, so I didn't waste time with pointless exposition.

-x-

The stars were especially bright tonight.

A rustle of movement came from the left, but Sasuke didn't look away from the sky to check on it. It was a good thing he wasn't on guard duty tonight. Then again, everyone was awake, anyway.

Well… _almost_ everyone.

"You should sleep," Sasuke heard Kiba say.

"I'm okay," Naruto replied thickly. Sasuke clenched his fists at the pathetic tone of his voice. For God's sake, they were _shinobi! _If one of them happened to get hurt, it didn't mean the rest of them spent the journey mooning over it!

Jaw clenched, Sasuke dropped his gaze and turned to inform Naruto of this very fact –

Naruto lay beside Sakura, eyes wide and unblinking. Kiba was on her other side, not looking at either of them. He kept his gaze fixed straight ahead. And Sakura… Sakura's eyes were closed, expression smooth as stone. And Sakura's expression was _never _smooth as stone.

Suigetsu suddenly broke the foliage, carrying firewood. He clomped over to Naruto, Kiba, and Sakura, and squatted down.

"How's the patient?"

"Still asleep," Naruto said. He swallowed hard and looked away, shamefully, for a moment.

"Bet I can wake her up," Suigetsu said, and reached out to poke her.

"Don't touch her," Sasuke snapped, just as Kiba reached out to slap Suigetsu's hand away from Sakura's bare leg.

Suigetsu rocked back on his heels and rolled his eyes. "You guys need to lighten up," he said. "So she got hurt. So what? She's fixing it, isn't she?" He rose to his feet and scooped up his firewood. "Meanwhile, the three of you sit around moping. She's not dead, you idiots."

Suigetsu set to work building a fire, and Naruto rose to a sitting position. He put a hand on Sakura's head and looked up at Sasuke. He didn't say anything, so Sasuke didn't reply.

"Anyone hungry?" Suigetsu asked. When no one replied, he scowled. "Would you guys get over it, already? I wish Sakura were awake. She's not such terrible company."

Kiba stood up with a grunt. "You're right," he said, stretching, then wincing as he pulled the sloppily-bandaged wound in his side. "What can I do?"

"Get water for the ramen," Suigetsu said.

Kiba wrinkled his nose. "Ramen?"

"Don't blame me; Naruto was in charge of the food."

Kiba sighed. "Great." He started off toward the stream half a mile north of their campsite, knuckling Naruto in the head as he passed. Naruto rubbed his head, but otherwise didn't react.

He was driving Sasuke insane.

Sasuke got to his feet. "I'll help," he muttered when Suigetsu looked up, and followed Kiba into the forest. He passed Sakura's unconscious form as he passed, but didn't slow down to look at her. It disturbed him how pretty she looked like that, with the subtle healing glow of her chakra emanating from her prone form.

Sasuke traipsed silently through the forest, making no effort to catch up with Kiba. By the time he had reached the stream. Kiba had already filled one pot.

"Need any help?"

Kiba started, then looked around. "Oh," he said when he saw Sasuke, "No, I'm good."

Sasuke stepped up beside him anyway, and grabbed the remaining pot. "You're too distracted," he said.

"Aren't we all?"

"What happened to Sakura is no excuse," Sasuke said. "Always stay alert. What if I was an enemy?"

Kiba scowled and slammed the put down on the ground, sloshing half its contents onto the grass. "You _were_, remember?"

Sasuke sneered. Oh, _that _was clever. He didn't dignify Kiba with a response, merely bent to fill his pot. Kiba did the same to refill his pot, and they were silent for a moment.

They turned to leave, when Kiba said, "Aren't you upset?" Sasuke glanced at him, and he clarified: "About Sakura, I mean."

"No," Sasuke said, and made to leave.

Kiba's voice stopped him in his tracks. "But don't you feel guilty?"

Sasuke spun around to face him, eyes flashing with barely-suppressed rage. _"What?"_

Kiba seemed to regret his words. He drummed his fingers nervously on his pot of water, swallowed, and kept shifting his gaze from Sasuke to the ground to the stream.

"I mean…" he stammered. "I'm not blaming you, but, uh—I mean, doesn't everyone feel like it was their fault?"

Sakura had been blocking an attack meant for Naruto. Sasuke's opponent, the leader of the gang, seeing a gap in her defense, had leapt away from Sasuke to attack her with a poisoned kunai to the thigh, that had shut down her nervous system. If it weren't for Sakura's ability to heal herself while she slept, she would be dead now.

"No," Sasuke lied, "I don't."

"Oh," Kiba said. "Well… I do."

"You were nowhere near her."

"Yeah, but I saw the whole thing. I could have stopped it." Kiba exhaled and started walking. "I feel bad now. Naruto looks miserable."

"He's being an idiot," Sasuke said, walking beside him. He felt Kiba's eyes on him, but didn't turn. "These things happen. Sakura knew it could."

"That's kind of harsh," Kiba said, sounding annoyed.

"If it were me or you," Sasuke said, "He wouldn't overreact like this. It's because it's Sakura that he keeps whining."

Kiba was silent for a moment. "I don't believe that."

"Then don't," Sasuke said, pushing aside a branch so he could pass. "But it's true."

"Well, fine. Naruto's upset because he happens to love Sakura," Kiba said. "Then what's your excuse?"

Sasuke glared at him. "What's _yours?_"

Kiba's expression shifted to one of complete shock, and then they were back at camp and Suigetsu called out to them:

"Finally! What took so long? I'm starved."

"Sorry," Kiba said. Sasuke handed him his pot of water, and Kiba carried both to Suigetsu and the now-crackling fire.

"Move Sakura closer to the fire," Sasuke told Naruto. He met Kiba's gaze, then turned away.

Naruto gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her closer to the warmth of the fire. Suigetsu watched him with exasperated amusement.

"Would you relax? She isn't going to break." He held out a cup of ramen to Naruto. "Eat. You look terrible."

"Thanks," Naruto said sarcastically. He took an eager sip of soup, then nearly dropped the cup. "Hot!"

"Careful, Naruto!" Kiba barked. He gestured to Sakura. "You spilled some on her."

"Crap," Naruto said. "Napkin, napkin…" Sasuke handed him one. "Thanks." He turned to wipe the hot soup off Sakura's shin, but found Suigetsu had already beaten him to it.

Suigetsu wiped the soup off with a finger, then popped it in his mouth with a wicked grin. "Tasty."

Naruto scowled at him. "Don't do that to Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, waving the cup of ramen around.

"Naruto!" Kiba snapped, and Naruto calmed down, looking sheepish.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked over to Suigetsu for his own meal.

"Suigetsu," Sasuke said in a low voice as Suigetsu handed him the cup.

"Yeah?"

"Do that again," he said, "And I'll cook _you _for dinner. Understand?"

Suigetsu grinned, not afraid in the least. "Got it, boss."


	54. Itachi & Sakura, This Little 'tachi

For **Paper balloons  
Pairing: **ItaSaku  
**Word count: **601**  
Prompts: **third person, "I actually really dislike you", going to the market, Akatsuki  
**Notes: **So if you know me, you know that I fully believe this theory of Sakura's parentage, so much that I'm not even classifying this as an AU. This was fun, but I have my doubts about. So. Enjoy (hopefully)!

-x-

Sakura examined a plump, ruby red tomato. "How much for this?"

"Ah…" The vendor swallowed and attempted a smile. "For you? Free."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You're selling _for free_?"

The vendor squirmed. "They're on sale. That one is bruised, so…"

"It's not bruised."

"It is, it is! Perhaps you can't see, but I, with my trained eye…" The vendor trailed off at the unimpressed look on Sakura's face.

The vendor, Daisuke, didn't want much out of life. He wanted a modest little house with a red door, a wife who wouldn't _mind _that modest little house or its red door, and three children – twin girls and a baby boy – who would move out of that modest little house and find a luxuriously big house and paint their doors red. It could be something to hand down through generations. Daisuke dreamed of red doors signifying his place in the world, cropping all over the world, one day, long after he was gone.

Aside from that, Daisuke didn't want much. He just wanted to sell his fruits and vegetables, make enough money to get by, and go home in peace after a long day.

Too bad Sakura-san wouldn't let him.

"Is that so?" Sakura asked. "I need a more trained eye, hm?" She dropped a hand to her hip and turned to look back over her shoulder. "Itachi!" she called, and Daisuke's heart nearly stopped when the figure he always _knew _was there, skulking in the shadows, but had never actually _seen_, appeared behind Sakura.

"Yes?" Itachi said flatly.

Sakura held up the tomato. "Examine this," she told him, though she was staring at Daisuke. He quivered. "Check for bruises."

Itachi took the tomato without a word, and Sakura folded her arms across her chest to wait.

Sakura was special. Only she was able to get the market all to herself. It was a good thing too, or all his customers would have been scared away otherwise, by the tall, imposing figure donned in the uniform of the most notorious criminal organization to ever be created.

"It isn't bruised," Itachi said finally, handing Sakura the tomato.

Sakura nodded and turned back to Daisuke, who cowered. "That's what I thought. So," her eyes narrowed, "How much?"

Daisuke glanced at Itachi. He was watching him closely. His expression hadn't changed once. Daisuke looked back to Sakura. She looked impatient. He swallowed nervously again.

Who to side with? If he let Sakura pay, Itachi would break him immediately. If he _didn't _let her pay, she would kick up a fuss, possibly break everything _but _him, and then complain to her father, who _might _not do anything to him… It was a lose-lose situation.

Daisuke looked to Itachi again. Itachi looked him straight in the eye and, almost imperceptibly, shook his head. Just once.

"Sorry, Sakura-san," Daisuke said with an apologetic smile, "But I don't want to charge my favorite customer for less-than-perfect tomatoes."

Sakura glared at Daisuke and he winced. She stormed away without taking any tomatoes, and he wondered if he had made the wrong decision. But then Itachi, who had stayed behind (Daisuke hadn't even _noticed _him, which was weird; the man _was _a deadly criminal) lifted the entire crate of tomatoes (Daisuke supposed that feeding notorious criminals wasn't cheap), set down some coins, and, with an approving nod, turned on his heel to follow Sakura.

As they left, Daisuke heard Sakura snap: "I don't care if you _are _my dad's favorite, I actually _really _dislike you." A huff, then: "Next time I'm bringing Kisame."

Daisuke slumped. Maybe it was time to retire…


	55. Itachi & Sakura, Crushed

For **BlueArcticWolf  
Pairings: **ItaSaku, NaruIno  
**Word count: **2747**  
Prompt: **kissing booth, non-massacre  
**Notes: **Sorry for the crazy long wait, guys. I kept trying to update, but I'm out of funny. I really wanted to write something darker, actually.  
Anyway, this one isn't great – particularly the end; the whole things kind of makes no sense. But whatever. Hopefully it gets me back into the swing of things.

-x-

"I still say we should do a kissing booth."

"And _I _still say that's disgusting." Ino uncapped her bottle of water and glared at Naruto over the rim. "It's demeaning, and only perverts like you go for them."

Naruto hid a grin. Beside him, Sakura sighed. She knew Naruto wouldn't ever really be interested in a kissing booth – if he was going to kiss Ino, he always told Sakura, he wanted it to be because _she _wanted it. He just liked getting under her skin. Naruto was like that. Some boys moved on from their need to pull their crush's pigtails or call them names. Naruto hadn't.

"I don't know why _I _have to help," Sakura said, getting to her feet. "_I _wasn't the one who smashed off Tsunade-shishou's nose."

Sasuke leveled her a very flat look. "You're the one who always says teammates should stick together."

"Yeah? And where were you when I had to weed that massive garden for our last D-rank mission?" When Sasuke didn't reply, she turned up her nose. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Sakura-_chaaaan_," Naruto began in that whine that always made her crumble, "Don't be mean to me. Look, even Ino's helping! She's not even part of this team!"

"She was refereeing the match between you and Sasuke," Sakura pointed out. She shook her head. She had to leave before she completely gave in to Naruto. "You know, if you need money, you could just sell Sasuke's old pillows, or something. I have to get back to work. I'll see you for dinner."

Before anyone could stop her, she was gone. Ino turned back to the boys, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. Sasuke shot her the dirtiest look he could muster.

"Not happening."

"Of course it isn't," Ino said. "You wouldn't get us nearly enough money."

Sasuke didn't know whether to be offended or not.

Ino slid a smile at Naruto. He blinked back at her for a moment – then grinned. "_Oh_. Ohohoho. You're good."

Ino nodded. "I know."

"What do you _mean _I wouldn't get enough money?"

"Not hot enough." Ino appraised Sasuke for a moment, as he sputtered indignantly before remembering he wasn't supposed to care. "So. Where's your brother?"

-x-

From the window, Sakura could see the Hokage monument – and the Godaime's smashed face. She winced, recalling Tsunade's furious shrieks when she saw. She would have beaten Naruto (the others had been smart enough to run when she approached) black and blue if Uchiha Itachi hadn't stepped in. Thus, he had suffered the broken jaw and bruised cheekbone.

Tsunade had healed him, of course, and Itachi had returned home while Ino, Sasuke, and Naruto brainstormed ways to raise enough money to get the monument fixed. And even though Itachi hadn't really suffered anything – he dodged the full brunt of the hit, and Tsunade had mended the broken bones with a sweep of her hand – Sakura still wanted to thank him.

So she knocked.

Mikoto opened the door and smiled at her. Mikoto always had a smile for everyone, and while she particularly liked Sasuke's teammates, she had a soft spot for Sakura, who her son had long had feelings for.

"Hello, Mikoto-san. Is Itachi home?" She held up a tube of ointment. "Shishou wanted me to drop this off." Not quite true; Sakura had made the decision – and the cream – herself. Still, it sounded much more impressive coming from Tsunade. Sakura may have been talented, but she was young, and people tended to doubt her abilities. She used Tsunade's name a lot.

"He just returned from a mission." Mikoto's smile dropped a bit; she didn't know what Itachi did on his missions, but he always returned looking worn and haunted. It worried her. She stepped back so Sakura could enter. "He's in his room right now."

"Thank you." Sakura slipped in, smiled at Mikoto, and shuffled down the halls to Itachi's room. It was across from Sasuke's, and she peeked in on the younger Uchiha's surprisingly untidy room, before knocking on Itachi's door.

"Come in."

Sakura pulled open the door and poked her head in. Itachi sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor, winding a bandage around his bicep.

"Oh, you're hurt," Sakura exclaimed, scuttling in and thumping to her knees in front of him. She batted his hands away. "Let me. You really should come to the hospital for these things, you know."

"I have some medic training," Itachi said. "I don't need the hospital for such small injuries."

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Sasuke always said the same thing. Even better: so did their father. In the exact same tone, too.

She finished with the bandage and rocked back on her heels. "If you're too embarrassed to go to the hospital, just call me," Sakura said. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you," Itachi said dryly. Sakura didn't expect him to take her up on her offer, but she wouldn't be surprised if he did. Maybe it was because Sakura was Sasuke's teammates, but Itachi didn't underestimate her because of her age. He was the same with Naruto. Sakura liked that.

"So I wanted to thank you for yesterday," Sakura said, holding up the cream. "You saved Naruto a hole in his head and—" She shrugged, embarrassed. "You didn't have to do that. You probably shouldn't have."

Itachi fought back a smile in the way every Uchiha but Mikoto seemed to, but his eyes were gentle when he looked at her. Sakura tugged at a lock of hair, feeling awkward.

"So, anyway, um—"

She stopped, and as one, Sakura and Itachi turned towards the noise in the hallway – shuffling, shouting, and something that sounded a lot like: "You _cannot _have my brother's underwear!" – before the door shot open and Ino, Naruto, and Sasuke spilled in.

Silence. Then Sasuke looked from Sakura to Itachi and back again suspiciously. "What are _you _doing here?"

Before Sakura could reply, Ino beamed, getting up off the floor and dusting herself off. "Good job, Sakura! Getting a head start on obtaining Itachi's old shirts? Remember: the more worn, the better!"

Sakura's mouth fell open. "Wha—" She shot Itachi a glance out of the corner of her eye, and her heart sunk.

He was staring back at her, expression blank, one eyebrow raised expectantly.

Seriously. Why _her?_

-x-

"How many times do I have to say it, Sasuke?" Sakura asked tiredly. "I wasn't trying to knock out your brother and steal his clothes."

Sasuke didn't look convinced. He remained stationed in front of Itachi, who barely looked up from the bloody kunai he was cleaning.

Naruto piped in, sounding entirely too amused: "And if you thought she could, what makes you think _you _could stop her, you pansy?"

"Shut _up_, Naruto."

Meanwhile, Ino wandered around Itachi's room, examining the bare walls critically. "Do you own _anything_, Itachi-san?"

Naruto broke off his snickers to turn to her. "No, Ino. It's either Itachi or Itachi-_sama_."

Itachi held his clean kunai up to the light. It gleamed and he looked at Naruto. He didn't answer.

Ino clicked her tongue. "Closet, then."

Enough was enough.

Itachi pushed to his feet in one smooth motion. "Exactly _what_," he began, "are you planning to do with my closet?"

Ino didn't look fazed. She was a brave one, Itachi decided. "We're trying to make some fast money. We're going to sell your stuff to your fan club."

"No. Why don't you complete some missions?"

"Takes too long," Sasuke said, not looking away from Sakura, who rolled her eyes.

"Plus, Sakura-chan doesn't want to help us." Naruto scratched his cheek, yawning. "And Ino shot down my kissing booth id—" He broke off, brightening. "Hey! Why doesn't Itachi—"

"_No_," Sasuke all but snarled.

Naruto frowned. "You know, you're really creepy."

"Why exactly should Itachi help?" Sakura demanded. "_You _guys messed up. _You _should do the work."

"But imagine all the money we could make!" Naruto said. "Enough to pay the old hag back, _and _pay my ramen tab _and _buy presents! We could buy a puppy, Sakura-chan!"

"_Why _do we need a puppy?"

"They are cute and cuddly."

"You're an idiot."

"We're not whoring out my brother so we can buy you a dog with a bigger brain than you," Sasuke said. By now his eyes had bled red. Sakura understood that; if she had Sharingan, Naruto would set hers off, too.

Itachi finished wiping down the rest of his kunai, staying silent. There were things one learned, living in Konoha. The art of ignoring Uzumaki Naruto was one of them.

"I bet you Anko would be first in line," Naruto said, turning to Ino.

"Then Kurenai."

"You?"

"Duh. Sakura."

Too bad he hadn't yet learned to handle Uzumaki Naruto _with _Yamanaka Ino.

"Okay! We're going now," Sakura said hastily.

Naruto – who had drooped somewhat after Ino's unabashed agreement – mumbled, "My neighbours."

"The Hokage."

"_Ew_. Ayame."

"Sakura again."

"_Out_, guys!" Sakura roared, shoving them through the doorway so hard they smacked into the floor.

"Hey!"

"Ow!"

Sakura rubbed her temples. "C'mon, Sasuke," she said, avoiding Itachi's eyes.

"You first."

"What?" She took in Sasuke's stubbornly folded arms, his suspicious glare, and threw up her hands. "For God's sake! I am _not _trying to knock out, steal from, or _seduce _your brother!" Who did Sasuke think she was, anyway? Forget not being Ino and _insane_ – like Itachi would ever let Sakura close enough to do any of the above?

Sasuke continued to glower.

Fed-up, Sakura stormed out, taking care to step on both Ino and Naruto in the process.

"Hey!"

"Ow!"

-x-

Sakura yawned, finger-combing her tangles. She had woken up late and barely had time to get ready. She just hoped she wouldn't run into—

Sakura cut herself off, but not quickly enough, and cursed inwardly as she caught sight of Itachi. Neji was always going on about things like fate and karma and self-fulfilling prophecies. She could almost hear him now: _"It's always the things you want least that have a way of finding you." _Then Naruto, snickering and trying to hide it: _Bad luck senses your fear, Sakura-chan."_

Well. It couldn't get any worse from here.

Itachi walked across the road to meet her, and Sakura wanted to smack herself. Sasuke's voice rang in her head now: _"Idiot."_

"Hello, Itachi," she said as he approached. "How are you?"

"Quite well," Itachi said, holding out his palm. Her ointment sat in the center. "Thank you for this."

"Oh, oops, I totally forgot." She took the tube from him and fiddled with it for a moment. "Did it help?"

"Yes, thank you." Itachi began walking, and Sakura tottered after him. She was headed in the same way, anyway, and besides, there was just something about Itachi. You couldn't help but want to follow him, wherever he might go.

They walked on in silence for several minutes. Then:

"About yesterday."

Sakura groaned. "It wasn't my idea."

"I didn't think so."

"And I wasn't there to steal your shampoo or towels or anything."

Itachi turned his face, unable to fully smother a smile. "I would hope not."

Sakura flamed red and made a mental note to throttle Naruto and Ino. She really hoped they never actually got together.

"As I was saying. I would like to help you raise the money."

"We are _not _selling your stuff," Sakura said hotly.

Itachi raised an eyebrow at her. When she flushed, mumbling something about how it was "creepy," he continued: "I meant using Naruto's idea."

"Huh?" Sakura's gaze shot to Itachi, and her heart sank. "Kissing booth?" She'd never thought Itachi would go for something like that…

"Something like that." Itachi's eyes gleamed, but Sakura had cast her eyes down to her shoes and missed it. "Something everyone we know would pay money for. Hokage-sama, Kurenai-san, Sasuke…" His lips twitched. "You, especially."

Sakura slanted him a curious look. "What?"

-x-

"Think of it this way," Ino said, dropping a few coins into the glass jar on the table beside her, and handing Tsunade a wet sponge. "At this rate, we'll make enough money to buy you a puppy."

Naruto scowled as the bright yellow sponge smacked him in the face so hard he fell off the stool he was perched on. "You're cruel and I hate you."

"Nah," Ino said, beaming at him. Naruto burned red and ducked his head ("Look up, brat!" Tsunade jeered, reaching for another sponge). "You really don't."

Sakura and Sasuke stood farther off, watching the proceedings with interest.

"You don't want a turn?" Sasuke asked her.

"Why pay for something I can do for free every day?" She glanced sidelong at him, then back towards Naruto. "I refuse to help you guys raise money."

"You're probably the worst teammate in Konoha."

Sakura waved him off. "Your brother's not here?"

"No."

Sakura frowned. "Are you still being ridiculous?"

"I'm never ridiculous. Stay away from him."

"Naruto's right: You're creepy. What do you _honestly _think I would – _could_ – do to your brother?"

"That's not what I'm worried about," Sasuke muttered.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Not _this _again." Itachi was wonderful, of course he was, but Sakura couldn't believe he had any feelings for her. She tried to be realistic: Itachi was a prodigy; Sakura was not. She was too young, too inexperienced, too _below him_. In her eyes, _no one _could compare to Uchiha Itachi. He was—"Your brother's just nice."

Sasuke snorted. He glanced over at Naruto again, and fished in his pocket for a bill.

"I need to go throw stuff at Naruto," he said. "…It might be a while."

Sakura waved him off and watched him go. The sun warmed her skin and made her sleepy, and she trotted off, yawning. Maybe she should go home, take a nap…

"Oh, Sakura."

Sakura glanced up, mid-yawn, and waved. "Hi, Kakashi-sensei, Itachi."

"Naruto's doing quite well," Kakashi observed.

"Have you taken a turn at him yet?"

"Gai's holding our place in line," Kakashi said.

Sakura laughed. She would have to see their latest competition. she turned to Itachi. "And you? it was _your _idea."

Itachi shook his head. "I was just leaving for a mission."

"He was looking for you," Kakashi said.

"Oh? What for?"

"I just wanted to know," Itachi said, "If you are doing anything tonight."

"What?" Sakura sputtered, glancing at Kakashi. He shrugged innocently, and she turned her gaze back to Itachi, looking as unaffected as usual. "I, um, why?"

"You offered I come to you after a mission," Itachi reminded her, still calm.

"Oh." Sakura felt her face warm. Damn that Sasuke. "Right. Sure, come on by whenever."

"Thank you," Itachi said, and the corner of his lips lifted, just for a second. Then he turned back to Kakashi, smile gone, "I should be leaving."

"Sure," Kakashi said easily. "Be careful."

Itachi nodded and left. Kakashi continued, to her now: "He won't be careful."

"Huh?"

"He needs _some _injury to come see you," Kakashi pointed out.

"Have you been talking to Sasuke?"

"Maybe a little," Kakashi said. "And to Itachi. I told him you're not allowed to date until you're thirty, so it's a good thing he's patient."

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"What?"

"Why does no one ever ask me if _I _like _him_? Maybe I don't."

"Maybe you think you're more subtle than you are," Kakashi said. "Why don't you ever bring medicine to your poor sensei? I'm getting old, you know."

Sakura passed a hand over her eyes, frustrated. How did Kakashi-sensei even _know _about the cream? She dropped her hand and turned away, fisting her hands at her sides. Forget napping. She had to blow off some steam.

"Where are you going?"

"To throw things at Naruto." Not that she would pay. She figured she could convince Ino to give her a few free throws.

-x-

"Sakura-chan, you look, um, angry."

"Stop moving, Naruto!"

"Ino, help me!"

"Sorry, buddy, but when Forehead's angry, I try to stay out of her way. Just try not to fly too far."

"_What—_ARGH!" Naruto skidded back no less than fifteen feet, and Sakura cracked her knuckles.

"Nice throw, Sakura."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun. Your turn."

"What."

"Get up there."

"What."

"I'm not _asking_, Sasuke-kun. Go." Sakura's voice was like ice.

"Yeah, Sasuke. listen to your future sister-in-law!"

Together, Sasuke and Sakura turned to Ino: _"What."_

In the back of the crowd, unseen by the rest, Itachi smirked.


	56. Naruto & Sakura & Shikamaru, Showdown

For **MisoRamen-Chan  
Characters: **Shikamaru, Naruto, Sakura (slight onesided NaruSaku, if you choose to view it that way)**  
Word count: **2624**  
Prompt: **Naruto gives a zombie a kunai  
**Notes: **Wow, I've been a fail updater. Oh well. So this one is a little different from my usual. I'm sure there are plotholes, but whatever, I had fun with this. hope you enjoy. Also, whitewashed the jutsu name here, only because it sounded better in the sentence. I'm weird.  
On a side note, since I have nowhere else to ask this, why does no one seem to like LeeSaku? Ever since I tried it out, I think I love it like a lot.

-x-  
August 02, 06:30 p.m.

"I say we make him our first sacrifice," Shikamaru said darkly. Shikamaru never said anything darkly, so Naruto knew he was in trouble. He swallowed.

Sakura – beautiful, sweet, angelic, _perfect _Sakura – came to his rescue: "We can't do that." Naruto turned to smile at her exhausted – but wonderful – face, when she continued: "Don't you know anything? Zombies only eat brains."

Naruto despaired. Some friends he had.

Shikamaru frowned, tilting his head in acknowledgement. He dropped his head in his hands, and Sakura slid down the wall to plop beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

This was almost as bad as the war had been. At least then they had had support from their village. At least they had known then what they were up against. At least _those _zombies hadn't been grey-skinned and groaning, with chunks ripped out of their flesh and tags of skin slapping against raw, bloodless wounds.

At least _those _zombies hadn't had _their only weapon_.

"I blame you," Sakura said, voice muffled against Shikamaru's shoulder. "I told you we should've taken Kiba."

Naruto bristled and snapped, before he could stop himself, "Hey! I'm way better than _Kiba_!"

"Oh yeah?" Sakura eyed him. "Would Kiba have _handed the flesh-eating zombie our last kunai?"_

Naruto swallowed. "I panicked," he said.

"No, you didn't." Sakura was glaring now, and only Shikamaru's warning grip around her forearm kept her from tackling Naruto and landing them both in a sea of monsters. "You _never _panic, Naruto. And you also never think. And _that _is why we're _stuck_, in a _tree_, with things down there that want to _eat us_."

Naruto plopped down on the dusty wooden floor, exhausted. "I bet you're delicious, Sakura-chan."

Sakura pressed her palm against her mouth to stifle a scream. Shikamaru stared through half-lidded eyes at Naruto.

"Yup," he said flatly, "You're _definitely _safe."

Naruto glanced around them. The field they were in was packed with tall, leafy trees all spaced apart. But the branches on each were too flimsy to take any weight, even for a moment. A group of villagers had planned a home of treehouses, to avoid the floods that visited often, from the stream nearby. But progress had been halted by the appearance of the undead, and only one treehouse had a platform wide enough to hold them.

They were, in a word, _trapped_.

"We're ninja," Naruto said. "We can take some _zombies_."

"How?" Sakura snapped. "Knock one down and it just springs right back up again."

"And until we know more about them, we can't risk being bitten," Shikamaru said.

"I can have some clones hold them back until we get out of here," Naruto suggested.

"_Ninja clones_, Naruto. What if you can't keep them back long enough? What if your clone gets infected and it affects you?" When Shikamaru looked at her, Sakura said, "It's a study I've been doing. There's a way to poison a clone _and _its maker. It's pretty interesting."

"Ah."

"_Guys. _Back to the problem, please?" It was strange for Naruto to be the responsible one. He had never done it before. But Shikamaru and Sakura were being so weird and nonchalant about everything, and—"Hang on. You guys aren't infected, are you?"

Naruto crawled closer, examining his teammates. Sakura reddened when he drew too close, and she shoved him, nearly forcing him off the platform.

"Whoa! Careful, Sakura-chan!"

"Watch it, Naruto. You're already on my black list."

Naruto slumped. He hated when Sakura was mad at him. Not just bash-him-in-the-face-and-get-over-it irritated, but the fuming kind of anger she arrowed him when he really messed up.

"Okay, enough," Shikamaru said tiredly. "We're not going to get anywhere by fighting."

Naruto turned a hopeful smile on Sakura. She was nodding – but looking at Shikamaru as she did so. His smile fell, and he stifled a sigh. Well. One step at a time. He could beg her forgiveness later.

"So what do we do?" Sakura asked, and Shikamaru rubbed at his eyes, then shuffled to the edge of the platform and peered down.

After a moment, his mouth collapsed into a hard line and he looked up. "Right now, we wait."

Sakura flicked a glance at Naruto, then back to Shikamaru. "And then?"

"If someone comes and finds us, great – provided we can warn them quickly enough that they can get away and get help. If not…" Shikamaru hesitated for only half a moment, then plowed on. "I give us twenty-four hours. We have no food, no supplies. We won't last here forever. By this time tomorrow, if no one has found us, we need to leave."

"But—"

"We _have to_, Sakura."

Sakura fell silent. She wouldn't look at Naruto.

-x-  
11:00 p.m.

Naruto offered to take the first watch, but he didn't move to wake Shikamaru to take over when his shift ended. Instead, he leaned as far over the edge of the platform as he could and watched the disgusting monsters below. They moaned softly as they wandered over the dry earth. Occasionally they would grow excited and stare up to the platform, pointing as if they had just noticed the fresh meat above them.

They didn't seem very smart to Naruto. If he only had a way to attack them, he could do something. If he were a better long-range fighter, maybe he could take out the pack quickly enough that they couldn't regroup before he and his friends escaped. And maybe then, Sakura-chan wouldn't be so mad at him anymore.

Naruto sighed and pushed himself back to a sitting position. He glanced at Sakura, curled up in the center of the platform. Shikamaru lay next to her, nearly spooning her in the small space they had, and as Naruto watched, he opened one eye.

"You didn't wake me."

"I'm not tired."

"Not tired, or afraid Sakura will push you off while you sleep?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly, and Shikamaru carefully moved away from Sakura and to Naruto's side. They sat at the very edge of the platform, legs hanging down.

"She's not _really _mad at you, you know." At Naruto's expression, Shikamaru conceded, "Fine. She's furious. But she'll get over it. You know Sakura."

He _did _know Sakura. Naruto knew Sakura better than anyone.

"She's just scared. We all are. This brings back bad memories." Shikamaru glanced down at the zombies, now wandering aimlessly. "You don't think they can jump, do you?"

"If they do, we're screwed." Naruto squinted at them. "Wait. Doesn't it look like…"

Shikamaru peered at the zombies for a moment, then looked up, mouth falling into a grim line. He nodded.

"There are more."

-x-  
4:25 a.m.

"Ninja zombies."

"Huh?" Naruto asked blearily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He sat up and realized Sakura was perched on his legs. "Um…"

She rolled off him. "You move around a lot in your sleep," she said. "I had to keep you still somehow."

"Thanks, Sakura-chan…"

"As I was saying," Shikamaru said. "Ninja zombies. "Sakura figured it out while you were asleep."

She must have woken up to stand guard, and Shikamaru had stayed up with her. When had he fallen asleep? He didn't even remember dozing off.

"Ninja zombies?"

"Or zombie ninjas, maybe," Sakura said. "They've been cloning themselves."

Naruto's mouth dropped open.

"Yeah, I know," Sakura said. "They just got a lot more dangerous."

"Yeah, but they haven't actually _done _anything," Shikamaru said. "No attacks. No ninjutsu. They haven't even used that kunai you gave them, Naruto."

"I _dropped _it by _accid_—"

"It doesn't make sense," Sakura said.

"Hang on. If they're ninja, why didn't we sense any chakra?"

"Chakra is alive," Shikamaru pointed out. "Zombies are dead. Or undead. That's probably why."

Sakura put a hand to her forehead, looking weary. "We have to find a way out of here. We have to tell Tsunade-sama about this."

"But now we have to worry about more than just infection," Shikamaru said. He pressed his fist to his mouth, eyes drooping shut in thought. "I don't know what to do."

Naruto tried to hide his fear. They were stuck. They were well and truly stuck. That kunai wouldn't even have helped them. He looked over the edge of the platform. The zombies milled about, not even looking at the three meals above them.

"Are you sure they're cloning themselves?" Naruto asked. "Maybe new ones are coming."

Wordlessly, Sakura pointed to a pair of zombies directly below them. They bumped into each other, and one zombie, spitting out a guttural groan, lurched forward and bit into the neck of the other. As Naruto watched, the second zombie vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Whoa." That was an advanced technique – especially for zombies.

"But that's _all _they've been doing," Sakura said. "About once an hour, they start cloning themselves, and then they go back to fighting each other, until their numbers get low. Then it's like they remember what they can do again. It makes no sense."

"It might be our only advantage if they can't plan," Shikamaru said.

"But is it that they can't figure out how to use their techniques to reach us, or that they can't communicate?"

"Maybe they just don't care about us," Naruto said. When Sakura and Shikamaru turned to him, he shrugged. "Well, look. They're not even looking at us. They're staring at that tree."

Sakura shuffled up beside him, squinting at the tree Naruto was pointing to. Indeed, the zombies immediately near it had turned their attention to something just above eye level.

"What are they looking at…?" Sakura let out a frustrate puff of air. "It's so dark out. I can't see!"

"The sun should start rising in a little over an hour or so," Shikamaru said. "All we can do for now is wait."

As if on cue, Naruto yawned. Sakura looked at him, and he quickly stifled it.

"Why don't you go back to sleep until then, Naruto? If anyone's going to need their energy soon, you are." Sakura smiled and leaned forward. "I'm sorry," she whispered, sweeping her thumb over Naruto's wrist. "I was so mean to you."

Naruto wasn't good at holding a grudge, and he had never been mad at Sakura in the first place. He smiled wide at her. "It's okay, Sakura-chan."

"Sleep," she said.

"Don't need to," Naruto said. "I'm all pumped up now."

-x-  
6:07 a.m.

Three pairs of eyes watched impatiently as the sun peeked over the horizon. Slowly, slowly, it slid into the sky, and the etchings on the bark of the mysterious tree became clear.

"Seals?" Sakura asked, brows furrowing.

"Seals," Naruto confirmed. Not just any seals. The seals for making shadow clones. "Why are those there?"

"Someone must have engraved them there. Maybe the villagers, back when they lived here." Sakura bit her lip. "So what does this tell us?"

"They keep looking at that tree," Shikamaru said slowly. "They keep forgetting how to do the seal, or that they _have _made the seal. Their memory." He turned to the others. "That's why they keep ignoring us, why they can't plan enough to get to us. They can't remember anything."

"So if we disguised ourselves…"

"We might be able to get away. Provided they can't sniff us out."

"If they could sniff us out, I don't think they would forget about us so easily," Naruto pointed out.

"Sakura nodded. "We have to try." Her jaw was set, eyes serious. "We use a genjutsu, get down, get out. As fast as possible. Don't engage them. Don't let them touch you."

"Right."

"Okay."

Naruto looked over the edge of the platform. "So…"

"So." Sakura swallowed. "Let's do it."

-x-  
6:19 a.m.

This was too easy, Sakura couldn't help but think. Nothing was ever this easy for them.

They had crossed half the field already. No zombie had even looked at them, disguised as they were. Sakura avoided their gazes and tried to look undead as she walked – stalked, really – to the edge of the field, behind Shikamaru and ahead of Naruto.

Just a few more feet. Shikamaru had already reached the edge of the field and was mouthing for her to hurry. She picked up the pace, trying to be subtle about it, then glanced at the marked tree several feet away.

The tree. She needed to destroy it, or at least the drawings on it. How had they not thought of that?

Sakura veered suddenly to the right – and knocked into a zombie

Without even a moment to react, Sakura was shoved roughly aside. She hit the earth in a cloud of dirt, biting her tongue.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru shouted, and Sakura glanced up, horrified.

The zombie she had bumped into had his teeth in Naruto's hand – over his pinky and ring finger, she noted in a daze.

"Sakura-chan, _run!"_

Sakura's eyes slitted, and she jumped to her feet. She wouldn't run.

"Shikamaru, the tree!" she snapped over her shoulder. Then she yanked on her gloves – all the protection she could afford right now – pulled her fist back, and let loose.

The zombie disappeared, and Naruto dropped to the ground. Then Sakura was tugging on his collar, pulling him to his feet, and running to meet Shikamaru, who had managed to tear the marked bark off the tree and was stuffing it into his pocket.

"Run, run, run!"

They ran, covering miles in minutes. They weren't followed. They had already been forgotten.

-x-  
6:37 a.m.

"They got you," Sakura whispered, looking at the deep bite marks in Naruto's hand. "They _got _you. You idiot."

"You shouldn't have done that," Shikamaru said.

"I figured maybe the Kyuubi would protect me from infection," Naruto said. "But Sakura-chan only had me."

Sakura smacked him on the side of the head. "Ow!"

"Stop trying to be noble, you idiot!" Sakura examined Naruto's hand carefully. "We don't know what the Kyuubi can do against zombies. We don't even know if a clone was enough to infect you."

"But we can't take that chance," Shikamaru said.

Sakura nodded. She looked miserable.

"Uh-oh." Naruto looked between them. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Hopefully, stop the spread of the infection…" Sakura bit her lip, turning to Shikamaru for help.

Shikamaru held out a kunai. "Snatched this up in the chaos." He hesitated. "Should I…?"

"No," Sakura said. Her voice shook. "I'll do it."

She turned to Naruto with solemn eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Silently, Naruto held out his hand. He knew what was coming, and he wouldn't back down. He wouldn't cry out. For Sakura.

Face hard, Sakura brought the kunai down in one swift move, slicing through Naruto's hand cleanly. She must have used chakra-fused strength to make it go as quickly as possible.

Naruto shut his eyes. He was vaguely aware of two faint thumps as his fingers fell to the earth.

Sakura was breathing hard in his ear, and Naruto felt her fingers brushing across his hand, leaving a trail of heat and comfort.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry."

"If we hurry, maybe we can make it back in time for Tsunade-sama to do something about his hand," Shikamaru said, then paused. "I'll get the fingers."

Naruto opened his eyes, trying not to look at his mangled hand.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan."

Sakura sniffed once, then rose to her feet. "Shikamaru's right. Let's hurry."

Naruto nodded, grit his teeth against the mostly-numbed pain, and hauled himself up off the grass. "Let's go."

Things were about to get so much worse. Naruto couldn't let this injury slow him down.

He glanced down at his hand and shuddered. Well. At least Sakura-chan wasn't mad at him any more.

In spite of everything, Naruto had to smile.


	57. Temari & Neji, Tropes

For **Anime Freak456  
pairing: **Neji x Temari  
**Word count: **706**  
Prompt: **manga  
**Notes: **One of my favorite things about TDB? I can experiment with a plot idea without having to really follow it through. So, no, I doubt I'll continue that last drabble.

-x-

"Don't you know anything?" Temari asked, crouching in front of Neji in a distinctly _un_ladylike fashion. He determinedly kept his eyes on her face as he rose to a sitting position and dusted himself off. He didn't answer, only grit his teeth and waited for her to continue.

Temari didn't disappoint. "Against the snotty rich boy, the tomboy with a heart of gold _always _wins. _Always_."

_Snotty rich boy? _Neji couldn't bite back a retort after that. He snorted. "And why is that?"

Temari poked him in the forehead. "To remind people like you that we're all equal."

Neji sneered. He had been perfectly willing to congratulate Temari on beating him in their spar. But that was before she began spouting such drivel.

"So what you mean to say," he said, knowing very well he would pay for this later, "Is that the only reason you won against me is because some otherworldly force demanded it for _my _sake?"

Temari colored as she realized how her words had come out, and Neji scoffed. She should have left the philosophical ramblings to her youngest brother.

Neji turned to leave, and Temari snapped, "Don't you walk away from me. We're not done here."

Neji kept walking. Until a shuriken whizzed by his ear.

"What are you _doing_?" he snarled, whipping around.

Temari aimed another shuriken and scowled. "I told you. We're not done."

"You're in _Konoha_," Neji reminded her. "If you had hit me, you could've strained our relations with Suna."

"Your Hokage likes Gaara more than you." She still hadn't lowered the weapon, but all her attention was on Neji now. "So. Are you ready?"

"For _what_?"

"To talk to me."

Neji wanted to throttle her. "Fine." He took a few steps toward Temari, then dropped into a sitting position, not breaking eye contact. He hoped she couldn't see how tightly he had fisted his hands. "Talk."

"I don't like how you treat people."

"People?"

"Me," Temari amended. "I don't like how you treat me."

Neji closed his eyes, praying for patience. He opened his eyes again and said, in forced calm, "I'm sorry for how I may have treated you. I didn't mean to be rude."

"You weren't rude."

"I—" Neji's brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Well, not until about two minutes ago," Temari said. "I don't know, Neji. There's something about how you look at and talk to me that I don't like."

"I'm sorry," he repeated stiffly.

"Don't just apologize to me," Temari snapped. Then she took a breath fighting for control. "Try for some sincerity some time. You'll make more friends."

"Like you do?" Neji said snidely (and, he had to admit, childishly).

Temari faltered, then frowned at him. "Girls like me, we don't make friends easily. We're too sensitive to get close to people, and too prickly for anyone to get close."

Neji stared. "What?"

"Don't you read manga?" she asked impatiently. "I'm the tomboy, before the arrival of the male lead and his goofball group of friends."

"Again: what?"

"Ask your teammate. She's the same as me. Maybe sweeter. Kind of weirder, too. Yeah, actually, she is more of the Female Best Friend. No real romantic attachment to the male lead, maybe they tried dating and it didn't work. Maybe he's still hung up on her. Maybe he's always crushed secretly. She might give the tomboy a makeover."

Neji raised an eyebrow. How had they reached this topic?

"Back to my point," Temari said, seeming to read his mind, "I mean it. Keep treating people the way you do – like you secretly think you're better than them – and you're going to find yourself very alone soon. The goofballs will leave you, the best friend will leave you. And unless you go through some character development, you can forget about having a chance with the tomboy."

Temari stood, dusted off her pants, and turned to leave. Over her shoulder, she tossed a final farewell.

"I leave tomorrow night. Better get a move on, pretty boy. I'm off to find Tenten."

Neji sat very still, stunned by this sudden turn of events. Finally, he let out a soft breath of laughter, resting his head on a fist.

Why was he always attracting weirdos?


	58. Team Seven, The Ultimate Test

For **PrincessLazyPants  
Characters: **Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura  
**Word count: **830**  
Prompt: **Naruto constantly taps his pen on his desk during a stressful test-writing situation; third-person POV; present-tense.

-x-

_Tap, tap, tap._

Sasuke twitches, looking up from his paper to glare at the back of Naruto's head. Unfortunately, Naruto doesn't seem to notice. Usually, Sasuke's glares are almost tangible; Sakura once described them as lasers on high, burning not so much a hole, as a smoking crater straight through the recipient. But he's been glaring at his best friend for over an hour, and he hasn't so much as coughed.

Truly, Sasuke thinks idly, starting the thesis of the final comparative essay of his high school career, Uzumaki Naruto is a fascinating creature. Sasuke looks forward to the day Sakura finally cuts him up and examines what it is that makes him so _Naruto_. All in the name of science, of course. She'll probably find the cure to a lot of physical ailments. Also, the cause for many mental ones. Stupidity, mostly.

_Tap, tap, tap_.

Also whatever it is that makes people so insufferable. Maybe once that's cured, Sasuke can like the world a little more.

_Tap, tap, tap_.

Sasuke glowers at his mostly-blank sheet of paper, contemplating just throwing his pen at the back of Naruto's head. His marks have been good enough to sacrifice half of an English final. It would be worth it for some peace.

There's a rustle beside him, and Sasuke glances up to see Sakura, across the aisle, looking annoyed.

_Tap, tap, tap._

How is no one else reacting? Sasuke has always thought he and Sakura were the most desensitized to Naruto's Naruto-ness. Maybe not.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Sakura coughs, loud and fake, eyes on the back of Naruto's head, and Sasuke offers her a miniscule nod. Smart thinking. Naruto is so attuned to the sound of Sakura's voice. If he suspects anything might be even _slightly _wrong with his precious Sakura-chan, he'll be by her side before their teacher can even look up from the book he's reading (and trying to hide, because he is a disgusting pervert).

So Sasuke watches. And waits.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Sasuke grits his teeth and notices, out of the corner of his eye, Sakura looking offended. He bends over his paper to hide a smirk.

Okay. Okay. Thirty-three minutes left. He can do this. He has to write this essay. He just has to tune Naruto out. He can _do this_.

_Tap, tap, tap._

He can't do this.

Sasuke determinedly narrows his gaze on his paper. He just needs to start this paragraph. He writes the letter _I_.

And then comes the sniffling.

His first instinct is, of course, to glare at Naruto. And then he blinks, and his gaze slides to Sakura.

She's set down her pen and is staring hard at Naruto. And sniffling.

Naruto doesn't even react.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Has Naruto written _anything_ in the last hour? Sasuke can't imagine how he would have, between all the tapping.

Sasuke writes a letter _n_—then jerks, drawing a long, thin blue line across the page when a sudden sneeze comes from his right.

Sasuke shoots Sakura a dirty look, clenching his pen tightly in a white-knuckled fist. She doesn't seem to notice. All her attention is on Naruto.

_Tap, tap, tap._

"Are you alright, Sakura?" their teacher drawls from the front of the room, looking bored.

"I don't feel too good, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura says, voice trembling just enough to get Naruto's concern. And true to form, he glances back, blue eyes wide with worry. Sakura struggles to hold back a smile, and even Sasuke breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe now his idiot friends will settle down.

"Do you want to go to the nurse?" Kakashi asks.

"No, I'll finish," she says, voice back to its usual Sakura brightness.

"Fine. Just keep it down, you're disturbing me."

Sasuke rolls his eyes and returns to his paper. Time is running out. He peeks out of the corner of his eye at Sakura, who furiously scribbles what looks to be her conclusion. The page is nearly full, and she has to shrink down her usually large, loopy handwriting to fit the words.

Sasuke stares blankly at his barely-started essay.

Eighteen minutes left. _Shit_.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Sasuke's head snaps up, and beside him, Sakura slams down her pen, furious.

-x-

Sasuke didn't finish. Sakura did, but left for the nurse – and some much-needed quiet – before she could double-check her exam. Afterwards, they stand together by Sasuke's locker, looking peeved, when Naruto jogs up to them.

"Easy exam, huh?" he asks brightly. "I finished pretty early, but you know Kakashi-sensei. He never lets us leave early. So I was stuck, getting bored… Anyway! Feeling better, Sakura-chan?"

Silence. Sasuke and Sakura stare stonily at him.

Then Sasuke takes a breath, slams his locker shut for the last time, turns, and throws his textbook at Naruto's face.

"Ow!"

Sakura loops her arm through his and, without a word between them, they walk down the hall and out the door, leaving Naruto and all his noise far behind them.


	59. Neji & Sakura, Dying Color

For **321neoen123  
Pairing: **NejiSaku  
**Word count: **3,125 (these are clearly not drabbles)**  
Prompts: **AU; mental and/or physical abuse; red apples; a Buddhist monk  
**Notes: **Possibly the wrong drabble to ask this on, but has the SasuSaku fandom just, like, died? I checked it out last night, and it seems to have slowed down a lot. How sad.

-x-

The entire room stills when the screams start. Tenten reaches out and clasps Neji's fingers tight – she had been the newest up until three days ago; she still remembers the torturous, terrifying first few weeks – before Neji pulls away. He doesn't want anyone to see Tenten needing him, or he will be stripped away from her.

Orochimaru enjoys stripping people of their power, their support. He likes to leave them feeling naked and alone.

Tayuya snaps at them to get back to work, and the training resumes, and Neji feels his muscles tear under Zaku's watchful eye, and no one says anything except when the leaders bark insults and orders, but in the background, one room over, the screaming doesn't stop.

* * *

Naruto nudges Neji's foot under the table, and next thing he knows, someone is being shoved roughly onto the bench beside him.

"Stop crying, bitch," Kin growls. A whimper. "Shut up and eat. Quickly. Orochimaru-sama wants to see you after this."

Neji glances over. His vision is blurry after all the experiments, but he can make out one thing: a splash of pink against a sea of grey. The girl – the new girl – hiccups softly as she shovels brown slop into her mouth, and Neji knows what she must be thinking, because everyone thinks the same thing every day: _What did I do to deserve this?_

Naruto kicks him again, and Neji knows the silence is killing him, but Kin is still hovering over them, so Neji can't say anything, like, "Don't cry" or "It gets better."

Anyway. It never gets better.

* * *

She doesn't return to her room that night. Or the next.

The halls are silent and still without her screams, and she doesn't return to the cafeteria or the training area. Naruto grows frantic, and is sedated and given new medication. Neji tries not to worry.

And then.

Sasuke gets into a fight. Sasuke is Orochimaru's special project. He is the most dangerous, and he has the fewest constraints. He slashes Karin across the face in a spar, damaging one of her eyes – the eyes Orochimaru gave her – before Kabuto manages to restrain him and take him away.

And then.

Kabuto brings her in. Neji recognizes the pink but can't make out her expression. Naruto, several feet away, growls deep in the back of his throat, and the ground beneath Neji rumbles, just slightly. He wonders if the medication is actually working.

But he doesn't have time to think on that. Because Kabuto speaks, and when Kabuto speaks, it's usually best to listen, even if he rarely says anything anyone wants to hear.

"Sakura." (Her name is Sakura.) "Heal her."

_Heal._

This is new. Neji stiffens, and a rustle sweeps the room as everyone turns to watch Sakura. This room of broken, mangled human beings needs a healer.

Neji squints, cursing his vision, cursing Orochimaru and his experiments, as a glow surrounds Sakura and Karin. Twin gasps from the girls, and then the glow is gone, Karin isn't bleeding, and Sakura is on the floor.

"You healed me," Karin says wonderingly – and then she sucks in a breath.

The whole room – the people, the walls – seems to draw back and expand. But Neji can't see.

He can only hear Sakura. Crying.

"Kin," Kabuto says calmly. "Take Sakura back to her room." A pause, then he adds, "Orochimaru will be pleased, Sakura."

He leaves. Kin and Sakura leave.

And then.

Everything begins to change.

* * *

Sakura is treated much like Sasuke. Rich meals in her bedroom; freedom to wander the halls without a guard; special care by Kabuto; regular meetings with Orochimaru.

Naruto becomes more and more agitated, but he can't speak and Neji can't see, and he doesn't know what's wrong. Tenten, whose senses are the sharpest, is constantly on verge of a breakdown, especially when Sakura is near. She tells Naruto and Neji to be very careful, to not let themselves get hurt.

But getting hurt, here, is inevitable.

Neji spars with Kiba, who was fused with his dog and is losing more and more of his humanity every day. His cousin, who was abducted along with Neji all those years ago, tells Neji that Kiba will probably be put down soon.

She uses those exact words: 'put down.'

Neji is strong, but he was stronger before the experiments. Without his sight, he is at a disadvantage, and without his conscience, Kiba is at a very strong advantage. So after six minutes of a mostly-even match, Kiba swipes at his shoulder, Neji dodges, Neji stumbles, and Kiba sinks his teeth into his forearm until blood spills onto the cold, hard concrete beneath them.

The smell sends both Kiba and Naruto into a frenzy. Sasuke demands Naruto be led to his room, and Kabuto comes to drag Kiba away for the last time while Hinata forces herself to stay silent and unnoticed.

Neji kneels alone by the wall, cradling his arm to his chest and not saying a word. He doesn't need to see her face to feel Tenten's fear, and he doesn't want Sakura to appear.

But appear she does.

She takes his arm with gentle hands, and Neji winces.

"Sorry," she says, and that green glow surrounds her. Coolness sweeps through him, and the pain fades.

"Wait—" Neji pulls away. "Stop. I'm fine."

Sakura stares at him. She's so close, he can see her big, green eyes. He swallows, hard.

"I don't need any healing."

Sakura takes his arm.

Neji tugs it away. "Stop."

"I can't." She lowers her voice and reaches for him again. "Please. You'll get me in trouble."

Her hands are cool and soft, which surprises Neji. Everyone has coarse, calloused hands here. Sakura's hands are a reminder of the past he dreams of every night.

He stops resisting.

The glow gleams around them once more. Neji feels his skin mend, and the pain vanishes. Sakura takes in a breath, hold tightening for a moment on his arm, and Neji instinctively reaches out – but the moment passes, she lets him go, and she walks away.

Neji watches her go until Zaku hits him in the back of the head and orders him to Orochimaru's clinic for a check-up.

* * *

They get one hour of free time every day, and not a minute more, right after dinner. They may do anything they want, as long as they stay supervised. No escaping alone to their bedrooms. No wandering the halls for too long.

Mostly, everyone sits on the worn couches in the lounge, too tired to do much else. They talk, and sometimes play cards. The experiments use their free time to remember being human.

Tenten falls asleep on the couch, and Naruto plays a game of Go Fish with Sasuke and Gaara in the corner. Neji leaves the lounge to walk and stretch his legs.

He turns a corner and finds Sakura leaving the infirmary. It takes him a moment to recognize her, even with her bright hair.

She stops when she sees him. "Hello."

"Hi." He squints past her. "Is someone unwell?"

Her voice gets small and tight. "Kin sprained her ankle."

Neji bites his tongue. He hates these people. He hates that they are frail and weak and still manage to keep him and his friends – acquaintances – in such a firm hold.

Sakura approaches him slowly, then yelps and stumbles. Neji lurches forward, but she has caught herself against the wall. She breathes hard, leaning heavy against the stone for a long moment.

"Sakura?" Neji asks when she doesn't move.

Sakura bows her head, and when Neji moves to her side, he realizes she is shaking.

"I hate it here." Her voice quivers and shakes. "I hate it so much."

Neji glances at both ends of the hall. It's clear. So he reaches out, and puts his palm between her shoulder blades in a poor attempt at comfort. But it works. She stops shaking and looks up at him.

Her eyes are so green, even Neji can see them.

"Don't cry."

She sputters a laugh. "How can you not?" She turns to lean back against the wall, and slides to the floor. She rubs her ankle. "What's your name?"

"Neji."

"Neji. Hi, Neji. How's your arm?"

"Fine, thank you."

Sakura tips her head back against the gray stone. "Are you always so polite?"

Tenten asked him the same thing when he met. "It's how I was raised."

"Keeping those lessons in mind, even here, is pretty amazing." She draws her knees to her chest and drops her chin to her knees, watching him closely. "Yours is the first smile I've seen here."

"Oh." He's surprised to find a smile, however small, on his lips. "Well." The smile drops. He doesn't know what to say.

"How did you get here?"

"I was kidnapped." Neji wonders how long they've sat here. Maybe Sakura is allowed, but he should return before Zaku comes looking for him.

"Oh. I'm sorry." She shifts on the cold stone floor. "I was sold."

Neji knows this happens sometimes. Families too poor to support their children, human traffickers, even slave-owners sometimes sell teenagers to Orochimaru's group. He's well-known enough to have a steady stream of fresh humans to experiment on, but hidden enough to avoid the authorities.

"Neji, are you blind?"

"Nearly. Orochimaru had hoped to give me sharper vision, capable of seeing through objects, for miles all around. It didn't take."

"I'm sorry." Sakura studies him. "Can you see me?"

"A little." When she doesn't say anything, he says, "Your hair is very bright. I usually notice that. When you're this close I can see your eyes, but… everything else is blurry."

"Maybe I could heal them."

Neji's heart leaps, but he forces himself to shake his head. "I'm fine."

"I could try."

"No, Sakura."

"Why not?" She sounds frustrated. "Why don't you want my help?"

Because Tenten gets so scared she can't speak whenever Sakura heals someone. "Because you collapsed the fist time I saw you heal."

Sakura is silent.

Neji stands up. He's already been gone too long; he doesn't want to push his luck. He holds a hand out to her, but she doesn't take it.

"I'm going to stay here a little longer," she says. "I'm very tired."

Neji nods and leaves without another word.

* * *

They don't speak for a week after that. Sasuke and Naruto, the closest of friends possible in this underground hell, come to blows one evening and are gravely injured. Sakura spends two nights healing them, then six more recovering.

Neji doesn't realize he's waiting for her until Tenten asks, during their free time, who he keeps looking for.

"No one," he says, surprised. "Who would I even be able to find?"

He can't make out Tenten's eyes – they're small and colorless – but he's close enough to see the upturn of her lips.

"Turn around," she says, "and maybe you'll see."

Neji turns. Sees someone behind him. He can't quite make out their features.

"If you're hungry," she says, and it's Sakura. She presses something vibrantly red into Neji's palm – an apple – and adds, "Kabuto's been feeding me extra lately."

"Neji loves apples," Tenten tells her.

Neji stays silent, staring at Sakura. Her spine slouches, her hair is starting to match the cold stone walls.

This place is sucking out her color.

Neji stares at the apple – color so vivid, even he can make it out – and mumbles his gratitude.

* * *

_You are fading away before my eyes_, Neji thinks.

There is something about Sakura that he can't pinpoint. Something wrong with her. In the three months he's known her, she has slowed down. Her hands become softer

And her voice becomes quieter.

But he doesn't say anything about it.

They sit together on the couch during free time – their only time together. Sakura talks to Naruto, and Neji listens to Tenten, but he is aware of her shoulder blades digging into his back through the entire hour.

And then.

* * *

"I love you," she blurts one day, right in the middle of an empty corridor on their way to their rooms. Neji falters midstep, one hand against the dry stone wall, and looks back with eyes that barely make her out.

"What?" His voice rasps; he feels terrified.

"I love you," Sakura repeats. She reaches out to take and guide him by the elbow. They've spent too much time loitering; Zaku or Kin will come for them soon – or worse, Kabuto. "Please don't reject me," she says in a rush. "I just – this is me, I need to love somebody." A pause. "I need something to live for."

Neji doesn't reply. They keep walking.

"Okay," he says when they reach their rooms. He looks Sakura straight in the eye and nods and repeats: "Okay."

"Okay," Sakura says, then leans forward, on impulse, and kisses him on the cheek. Neji skitters back and bangs his heel against the door, and Sakura laughs. It seems to already be working. "Thank you."

Neji nods again, cheeks pink, and disappears into his room.

When Sakura turns around, Kabuto is standing against the wall. Watching her.

* * *

Her hair is beginning to fall out.

The color has already mostly faded. Her spine bends, her skin sags in deep wrinkles, and her bones grow frail.

In four months, Sakura has aged forty years.

Neji hasn't realized it yet, though he knows something is wrong. Sakura has told the other not to say anything to him; she doesn't want Neji to know she's dying. She wants to enjoy this time with him – as much as she can, under Orochimaru's eye.

She worries about Kabuto. He hasn't said a word about her and Neji. She thinks he's waiting for the most opportune moment, but doesn't know when that might be. But she doesn't want to worry the others, and since Tenten and Naruto don't notice, Sasuke doesn't realize what it means, and Neji can't see, she can pretend Kabuto doesn't stare at her with cold, calculating eyes when he knows she's watching.

Sakura sits in the lounge during free time with a mug of bitter tea between her palms. She suppresses her disgust when she chokes down the medicine. Neji watches her with pale, damaged eyes, and she has to hold in a cough until her eyes water.

Naruto speaks, and Neji turns away.

Sakura coughs into her palm.

Kabuto walks in and stands by the doorway. He looks around, and his gaze lands on Sakura.

Sakura is allowed luxury chocolates and three-course meals. Her king-sized bed takes up half her thickly-carpeted room, and her clothes are brand new.

But the one thing she may not have is Neji.

* * *

Orochimaru sits in an office all day, poring over research and tables and statistics. He fancies himself a God, training young adults to follow his teachings. He models the rules of his underground world after numerous philosophies.

He sends her a note one evening, resting on her pillow when she returns early from the lounge, bones creaking with exhaustion and breathing labored and short.

_Calm in body, calm in speech, tranquil and composed of heart_, the note reads in flowing script. _Whoso has spewed out worldly wants, "Serene" is such a bhikkhu called_.

Sakura stares at the note and wonders how such a disgusting man could feel worthy to steal the words of such a peaceful religion.

She crumples the note, feeling nauseated, and lies down.

Sleep doesn't come until dawn.

* * *

She heals Naruto's dislocated shoulder and Gaara's broken nose and Hinata's bruised ribs in one eventful afternoon, and goes back to her room with a sore body and a tightness in her chest.

She collapses onto her pillows and spends six minutes in a coughing fit, and when she stops, her sheets are spattered with blood.

She sleeps for four hours, then drags herself out of bed and to the couch in the lounge where Neji always waits for her.

* * *

Neji wonders if he should tell Sakura he loves her. He wonders if it would help her. He wonders if it would help him. He wonders if it won't just hurt both. They can never be together. Not unless they leave.

But they cannot leave.

Sakura touches his knee and gives him an apple from her unfinished dinner. His stomach growls, and he takes it.

The color is so vivid and alive, and she may be colorless and fading, but that means nothing when her leg is arm against his and her eyes are close enough to see.

This could be real, he thinks.

* * *

Sakura inches down the hall, breathing hard. Her hands shake and her legs tremble, and she takes three more steps and then collapses. Her knees hit the stone with a crack, and her scream chokes off into a gurgle as liquid fills her mouth.

She can't breathe. Her heart stops, and she can't breathe.

Kabuto is there. He crouches down, leans over her, eyes soft and concerned. He checks her pulse, urges her into a sitting position. On her other side, Zaku fishes in a steel-gray first-aid kit for a vial. He pops it open, tips it to her mouth. The liquid stops at her blocked-up throat and dribbles back out.

"Come _on_, Sakura," Kabuto says, and she could even think he cares.

Except.

People begin to pass, on their way to lunch. Kabuto barks at them to find another path, and Kin appears to divert them.

The halls clear, and Sakura continues to die alone.

But then.

A slow shuffle meets her ears, and Sakura's stopped heart echoes a faint beat. Neji rounds the corner, hand against the wall, steps careful and slow.

She watches him and tries to speak, but the words can't pass her throat. She waits for Neji to see her.

But Neji has poor eyes, and her hair is white.

He looks at them for a moment, and pauses, and Sakura struggles to sit up.

"Go eat, Neji," Kabuto says calmly. _Nothing to see here_.

Neji hesitates, then nods – Sakura could be anyone, suffering from anything – and shuffles on.

Sakura watches him go, throat blocked with untold feelings, eyes brimming with hot tears. Kabuto looks down at her blankly, nudging his glasses further up his nose.

Her eyes squeeze closed, tears spurting down her cheeks, and she lets her world end without a word.

* * *

On instinct, Neji glances back over his shoulder. The person – the girl? – in Kabuto's arms is still and silent. Her eyes flutter, and Neji's heart stops.

He thinks he sees green.

But he isn't sure, and her eyes close, and Zaku snaps at him to go, and Neji walks on.


End file.
